Unexpected
by triplehhholic
Summary: Got the inspiration for this story after watching the movie "The Wedding Date". Paul enlists Stephanie's services to accompany him to his ex-girlfriend's wedding but will he find the closure he's looking for? AU HHH/Steph
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Stephanie walked briskly along the sidewalk, weaving in and out amongst the other pedestrians. She tilted her face upwards enjoying the rays of sunshine that shone from the pale blue sky. Her long chestnut hair blew in the light spring breeze. It was the first time she had been outdoors since leaving for class this morning. She had spent the majority of the day in the library trying to study for her finals. They were less than a week away and she was starting to panic. She couldn't motivate herself and she was way behind schedule. Her so-called part-time job seemed to be taking up most of her free time. She had barely time to breathe lately never mind open her books but she couldn't complain. The rate of pay was extremely good and had more than supported her during her last eighteen months at Boston University. Combined with her income and her allowance from her parents, Stephanie was able to afford her own apartment not far from the school. She stayed alone and she enjoyed the privacy. She'd had more than her fair share of awkward, fussy roommates her first two years at school when she had stayed in the university dorms. They had finally helped her make her mind up to get her own place. She had moved into her apartment nine months ago and had lived in peaceful bliss ever since. 

Stephanie crossed the street and smiled at the newspaper vendor on the corner. She purchased her copy of Cosmopolitan and continued her journey home. People sat at the outside tables of the restaurants and cafés on either side of the street. They enjoyed the warm May sunshine as it continued to beat down upon them. A steady stream of traffic roared by and it wasn't until she had turned into the next block that she heard the muffled ringing coming from her bag. 

She reached into her bag as she walked along the tree-lined street. A smile crossed her face as she flipped her phone open and saw the name scrolled across the screen. Placing her bag back on her shoulder, she answered the call. "Hello?" 

"I think I'm going to fail." 

Stephanie smiled at his slightly panicked tone. She was used to it by now. He got like this every time a test loomed on the horizon. "You're not going to fail, Ethan. You're going to do great just like you always do." 

"I'm not so sure." 

"Well I am. You've studied hard. You're going to ace your finals." 

"I wish I could share your optimism." 

"I'll send some your way." Stephanie looked left and then right before crossing the street to her apartment block. 

"How do you fancy delivering it to me personally? I've swapped shifts with Steve. I'm free tonight. We could watch movies and gorge on ice cream." 

Stephanie sighed as she entered her building and began to climb the stairs. "I can't. I'm working tonight." 

"Again?"

There was no mistaking the disappointment in his voice. Stephanie couldn't blame him. This was the third time in a row she had let him down. It had been at least five days since their last date. She cradled her phone against her shoulder as she reached into her bag for her keys.

"I promise to make it up to you." 

"When?" 

"Tomorrow? I could meet you for lunch." She turned the key in the lock and pushed open the heavy wooden door to her apartment. She placed down her bag and switched the phone to her other ear. 

"Well, I do happen to be free all day tomorrow." 

Stephanie smiled as she flopped down on her cream sofa. "What a coincidence. So am I." 

"Then tomorrow it is. Pick you up about 12?" 

"I'll be waiting." 

"Cool. I'll see you then. I love you." 

Her smile spread into a wide grin. "I love you too." 

She hung up and threw her phone down on the sofa. Her smile lingered as she thought about her boyfriend of nearly two years. Although they attended the same school, that wasn't how they had met. Stephanie was a third year business student while Ethan was in his final year studying law. They had met at Blue Jays, the coffee house Ethan still worked in. Stephanie had tried a brief stint as a waitress there. But after several complaints and one near lawsuit later involving scalding coffee and bare skin, she decided it wasn't for her and quickly gave it up. She had left after only two weeks but it had been long enough for Ethan to show an interest in her. He asked her out on a date and they had been inseparable ever since. 

Just then her phone rang again, snapping her from her daydream. She reached across and picked it up, frowning slightly when she saw Keira's name. Keira was her boss and the successful owner of the escort agency Stephanie worked for. It was a highly reputable business. The majority of its clientele consisted of business men or women looking for a partner to accompany them to business functions or events. It was all strictly professional and above board. Her best friend, Jen, had recommended them. She had worked for them herself and had loved it. Not once in the two years she had worked with them had a client stepped out of line. They had treated her with respect and she had earned a healthy amount of money in the process. She had been forced to leave when she had fallen pregnant eighteen months ago. She had put forward Stephanie's name for the job to Keira. Keira had been more than happy to take Stephanie on especially when she came recommended by Jen. But despite her job being legitimate, Stephanie still hadn't told anyone she was an escort. She knew that revelation would cause more trouble than it was worth especially with her parents and Ethan. Instead she pretended she worked in an exclusive nightclub on the waterfront. So far, she had gotten away with it with no questions asked. She pushed herself to her feet and answered the call.

"Hello?" 

"Hey Steph. I'm sorry to call you at such short notice but there's been a change of plan. Mia is sick and can't work tonight. I need you to handle a new client. I'd ask Susan but quite frankly, I need the best person for the job." 

Stephanie walked towards the window, a hint of amusement on her face. "He sounds like he's important." 

"All of our clients are important, Steph. Just some more so than others." 

Stephanie chuckled. "Very true. So, what's the story with this one?" 

"Well, he didn't give much away on the phone. But when I did my usual background check on him, I discovered that not only is he an extremely successful man but he is very wealthy too. We might get a lot of business our way if we make the right impression." 

"So no pressure, huh?" she replied, chewing on her bottom lip. 

Keira laughed at her worried tone. "You'll be fine. I'm sure you'll have no problem charming the pants off him." She paused. "Not literally though. We don't want him getting the wrong idea." 

Stephanie laughed. "Message received loud and clear." She headed towards the kitchen. "So what time do I have to meet our wealthy businessman and more importantly, does he have a name?" 

"Seven thirty at the Marriott Hotel and his name is Paul. Paul Levesque. He'll be waiting for you in the hotel lobby." 

Stephanie glanced over at the clock on her wall. The silver hands indicated she had just over an hour to get ready. "In that case, I'd better go and grab a shower." 

"Call me tomorrow. Let me know how you get on." 

Stephanie agreed and after exchanging goodbyes, she hung up and quickly headed to the bathroom. She didn't want to be late. This client could prove to be very important for Keira and she wasn't going to let her down. 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Later that evening Stephanie was getting out of the taxi cab and smiling at the driver as she paid him his fare. Making her way to the hotel entrance, she couldn't help but admire the sun as it began to set. It cast an orange glow over the top of the large brick building and as she approached the sliding doors, she adjusted the shoulder strap on her black knee-length dress. Her heels clicked against the white marble floor of the lobby and she discreetly glanced around to see if there was anyone who appeared to be waiting. She hadn't gotten a description of the man she was supposed to be meeting and she didn't have a clue as to who she was looking for. 

As she slowly approached the reception desk, Stephanie hesitated unsure what to do. The grey-haired middle-aged woman behind the desk smiled at her politely, catching her attention. Stephanie returned her smile and was just about to ask her if there was somewhere she could wait when she felt a light tap upon her shoulder. 

"Excuse me but you wouldn't happen to be looking for me, would you?" 

Stephanie shivered slightly, the low deep tone of the voice behind her causing the hairs to rise on the back of her neck. She breathed in the faint smell of his cologne as she spun round on her heel. A pair of warm brown eyes watched her as he waited patiently for his answer. 

Stephanie smiled as she quickly took in his appearance. He was tall and extremely broad. His pinstripe suit fitted his muscular frame perfectly. His blonde hair was long and fell softly across his shoulders. His face was lightly tanned and his thin beard neatly trimmed and as he returned her smile, his eyes crinkled at the corners. He was a very handsome man – there was no doubt about that. She cleared her throat as she tried her best to remain composed. Her manicured fingers clutched her purse tightly.  
"Well that all depends. Are you Paul Levesque?" 

"The one and only." he grinned instantly putting her at ease. "I guess you must be Stephanie."

She nodded her head and accepted the hand he held out towards her. She couldn't help but notice how soft his hand was. His grip was firm and assured. 

"Thank you for coming here tonight." he smiled as he gestured towards the bar. "Can I get you a drink?"

"Sure."

Stephanie walked by his side to the hotel bar. Paul pulled out a chair at an empty table by the large bay window. She smiled at him gratefully as she sat down. As Paul took the seat across from her, he lifted his hand and summoned a waiter. Stephanie absently looked towards the window. The sun had almost set and despite the orange glow across the sky, it was getting dark. The street lights were lit all the way along the stone bridge and she saw spectators standing there admiring the sunset as it reflected off the water.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" 

Stephanie turned and smiled at Paul. "It is. Sunset is my favourite time of the day." 

Just then the waiter appeared at their table. The small, burly man smiled at Stephanie. "Ma'am, can I take your order?" 

"I'll have a glass of dry white wine please." 

He nodded his head and turned to Paul. "Sir?" 

"A beer please. Bottled not draft." 

"Very good sir."

The waiter nodded his head and left to get their drinks. A brief silence descended upon the table. Stephanie watched as Paul's fingers began to fidget with the beer mat in front of him. She couldn't help but smile. Despite his confident aura, he was obviously feeling slightly uncomfortable. She decided to be the first one to break the ice.

"So, tell me why we are here tonight." 

Paul looked up and smiled. He pushed the beer mat to the side. "A boring business dinner, I'm afraid."

He paused as the waiter arrived placing their drinks upon the table. He smiled his thanks and turned his head to watch him leave. Stephanie picked up her wine. The clear liquid sloshed against the sides of the glass. 

"So what line of business are you in, Paul?" Her blue eyes watched him as she took a mouthful of her drink. 

"I buy and sell companies." 

"What kind of companies?" 

"Companies that are in financial trouble. That's why we're here tonight. The guy I'm meeting is in real danger of the bank liquidating his business. I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse." He grinned before taking a sip of his beer. 

"So why am I here? To charm him before you go in for the kill?" 

Paul chuckled as he placed his bottle on the wooden table. "That won't be necessary." His brown eyes twinkled as he looked at her. "He wanted to bring his wife along. I thought you could keep her company while I discuss business with Jack." 

"Well I'm sure I can manage that." she said, smiling. 

"Good." He looked down and checked his watch. "They should be here in fifteen minutes or so. That will give me a chance to find out a little bit about you. I'll expect Jack will ask me plenty of questions tonight."

He chuckled and shifted in his seat, picking up his bottle. His fingers absently picked at the label as he cleared his throat awkwardly. He didn't know why but he was feeling extremely nervous. This was a unique situation for him. He'd never used an escort agency before. He'd never had the need to. But Jack Harris had insisted on bringing his wife along which meant Paul felt obligated to make the dinner a foursome. Being currently single, he had toyed with the idea of asking one of his secretaries but he had soon dismissed that idea not wanting to give out the wrong impression. It was when he was looking through the local paper that he had noticed the advertisement for a local professional escort agency. He had done a little digging around and discovered they were a reputable company. So he had given them a call and so far, so good. Stephanie seemed to be a nice girl. It didn't hurt that she was beautiful too. Not that it mattered. She was strictly business as far as he was concerned. He took another drink of his beer before looking at her and smiling.

"So, Stephanie, do you stay in Boston?" 

She nodded as she swallowed her drink. She leant back in the seat, holding the glass in her hand. "I've been here for three years now. I moved here when I started school." 

Paul raised his eyebrows in interest. "What school do you attend?" 

"Boston University. I'm studying business and economics." She leant forward and placed her glass on the table. Her elbows rested against the wood. 

"It's a small world. I graduated from there myself almost seven years ago." He was about to continue with his story when a low voice interrupted him. 

"Excuse me sir." 

Paul looked up and smiled at the young male hotel assistant who had approached their table. 

"Mr Harris has arrived. I've seated him at your table." 

Paul nodded and smiled as he left. His brown eyes turned wide as he looked towards Stephanie. "Shit. He's early." He picked up his bottle and took a long drink of his beer. He smiled at her as he placed his bottle on the table. "We're going to have to wing it, I'm afraid." 

Stephanie smiled as she pushed back her chair and grabbing her purse, she stood up.  
Paul's hand rested gently on her back as he escorted her towards the dining room.  
She leaned towards him as she spoke softly in his ear. "If it helps my full name is Stephanie Marie McMahon. I'm 21 originally from Greenwich. I live on the west side of Boston. I don't like cats, I hate jazz and my favourite flavour of ice cream is strawberry." 

Paul couldn't help but laugh as they entered the dining room. Stephanie flipped him a wink as they approached the table. Their dinner guests stood up to greet them. Paul smiled. His hand rested on Stephanie's shoulder. "Jack, Emily, I'd like you to meet Stephanie. Stephanie, this is Jack and Emily Harris." 

Paul watched as the Harrises greeted Stephanie enthusiastically and he slowly felt his nerves begin to disappear. He just prayed he didn't fuck this up. He wanted this business badly and he was desperate to get it. And what Paul Levesque wanted, he usually got. He was determined nothing was going to get in his way.

After dinner Stephanie remained standing as Paul and Jack Harris exchanged their goodbyes. From what she could make out, the meeting had gone well. Both men appeared to be happy as they shook hands and she watched as Jack and Emily headed towards the lobby. She raised her hand in farewell when they looked back one last time.

When she saw they had finally left, she literally flopped down in her seat. She tried to stifle a yawn and placed her hand against her mouth. 

"Tired?" 

She looked up to see Paul sitting beside her, smiling. She slowly nodded her head. "It's been a long day." 

"I'm sorry. I honestly didn't expect the dinner to last as long as it did." 

Stephanie smiled. "But surely that's a good sign?"

Paul rolled his lips together thoughtfully as his left shoulder lifted in a casual shrug. "We'll see. Jack's a stubborn old bastard. He won't give it up without a fight."

Stephanie chuckled and picking up her wine glass, she took a drink finishing it off. 

"Can I get you another?" 

She shook her head, swallowing her wine. "No thank you. Any more and I can forget studying tomorrow." She couldn't help yawning again and she shook her head as she covered her mouth. "I'm sorry." 

Paul chuckled as he adjusted the cuffs of his jacket. He looked around the empty dining room and saw a couple of wait staff waiting patiently for them to leave. "Don't apologise." He pushed back his chair and stood up. He held out his hand towards her. "Come on. Let's get you home." 

Stephanie smiled gratefully as he pulled her to her feet. She retrieved her purse from the table and followed him to the lobby. "Do you think they noticed?" 

Paul turned towards her, raising his eyebrows. "Noticed what?" 

"That we weren't really together?" 

Paul laughed as he shook his head, walking out the hotel. "I know for a fact they didn't. In fact, Emily even commented that we made a lovely couple." 

Stephanie shivered slightly as the cool air hit her and small goose bumps appeared on her slim, bare arms. "So we pulled it off, huh?" She smiled gratefully as Paul took off his jacket and placed it around her shoulders. She immediately felt the warmth work it's way into her skin. 

"I think we did." Paul replied, smiling. "Although God knows how." He grinned at her mischievously. "It must have been that quick recap you gave me on the way to the table."

Stephanie grinned back. "Emily was very impressed you knew my favourite ice cream." 

"Yes she was." he chuckled as he raised his hand signalling a cab. It pulled up to the kerb beside them and opened the door stepping aside. "Your chariot awaits madam." 

"Thank you." She slowly began to remove his coat. She felt the slight breeze that blew around them. "We can share if you're heading in my direction." 

"And where exactly might that be?" 

"Two blocks from the University." 

"That's on my route." He followed Stephanie as she got into the cab. She gave the driver her address as he settled in the seat beside her. She still clutched his jacket that rested in her lap. Her blue eyes sparkled as she smiled at him. 

"I actually had a nice time tonight, Paul. Thank you." 

His own eyes widened in surprise. "I think it should be the other way round. I should be the one thanking you."

"You're welcome." she said, grinning. 

"Hey I didn't thank you yet." 

"No. But you were going to."

She gave him a smirk before resting her head lightly against the glass window. A comfortable silence fell between them. Her eyes followed the scenery as it flashed by her. She had been telling the truth. She had had a lovely time at dinner. It had been much better than she had expected. Jack and Emily had been very good company and they had both been full of tales about the business and their family. Some of them had been hilarious and laughter had continuously rung out across the dinner table. And she had to admit that the man sitting beside her had been pretty good company too. She had soon discovered that he was extremely quick witted and funny as well as smart. Paul had definitely done his fair share in helping make the dinner a success. Just then, she felt his shoulder nudge against her gently. She looked up and saw him smiling at her. 

"You really made tonight easy for me, you know. I have to admit I was kind of nervous at the start." 

"I noticed." she replied, smiling back at him. "You were fiddling with your beer mat. It was a dead give away." 

He chuckled lightly as he looked down at his clutched hands resting in his lap. When he slowly raised his head, her blue eyes were watching him intently. "Thank you. You really helped make tonight successful." 

Stephanie smiled at him humbly. "It was a pleasure."  
She felt the cab pull to a stop. She looked out the front window, surprised to see she was home. "This is me." She turned towards Paul handing him his jacket. "And this is yours." 

He took it from her and watched her pick up her purse from the seat. She opened it and he quickly reached across touching her hand and stalling her movements. "What do you think you're doing?" 

She frowned. "I'm paying my fare." 

Paul shook his head. "No you're not. Now get out of here before I get offended." A playful smile tugged at his lips as he released her hand. 

"Well if you insist." Stephanie said, closing her purse again. 

"I do." 

"In that case, I'll say good night." 

Her breath caught in her throat as his lips brushed ever so softly against her cheek. "Good night Stephanie. And thank you for everything." 

She nodded and smiled before getting out of the cab. She looked at him once more as her hand rested on the door. "Good night Paul." 

"Night." he replied, smiling. 

She closed the door and lifted her hand in farewell as the cab slowly pulled away. She stood there for a second watching the lights disappear down the street. A slow smile spread across her face as she reached up, touching her cheek. She could still feel his lips where they had rested against her skin. Still smiling, she turned and walked slowly to her apartment. And in the cab down the street Paul Levesque was still smiling too.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Paul's big hand shot out from underneath the covers. He placed it on the polished wooden nightstand by the side of the bed as he fumbled around for the offending object. Eventually his fingers wrapped around the cordless phone. With his eyes still closed and his head still half underneath the pillows he brought it to his ear.

"What?" he barked into the receiver. Paul wasn't a morning person and certainly didn't appreciate being woken especially on the weekends. 

"That's not a very nice way to greet your mother. I had hoped I'd brought you up better than that."

Paul groaned at the sound of his mother's voice as he threw the large cream pillow to his side and rolled onto his back. The mattress creaked underneath him and the sheets tangled between his legs as he attempted to open his eyes. The bright sunlight instantly burned them and he immediately snapped them shut as he brushed the loose strands of hair from his face.

"Hey Mom." he replied, his voice thick with sleep. His mouth felt dry and he licked his lips to wet them as he slowly opened one eye again, letting it adjust to the light. 

"Your lazy ass should be out of bed by now, you know." his mother scolded. 

"Why? What time is it?" he mumbled as he looked towards the alarm clock beside him. He peered bleary eyed at the green digits in front of him and his brow crinkled with his scowl as soon as the eight and two threes came into focus.

"Ma! What the hell are you doing calling me at eight thirty on a Saturday morning?" 

Patricia's tone was bright and breezy as she tried to feign innocence at the other end. "Is that really the time? I could have sworn it was later than that." 

"Don't tell me you're going senile on me already." Paul joked, smiling. He shifted his body as he pushed himself up the bed and his head rested back against the soft pillows as he let out a yawn, lifting his hand to rub at his eye. 

"Why? Are you worried you'll have to look after your old mother?" 

"Nah. I'm rich, Mom. I can employ plenty of other people to look after you for me." 

"Smartass." she retorted. 

Paul chuckled as his hand fell to rest against the crisp cotton sheets. "So to what do I owe the pleasure of your early morning wake-up call?" 

"Where were you last night? I tried calling you but you weren't home." 

"I had a business dinner." 

"Business? You work way too hard, you know." 

Paul smiled fondly as he shifted the phone to his other ear, scratching his head absently. "Well I have to work hard especially if I'm going to have to pay for someone to look after you in your old senile age." 

But his teasing fell on deaf, concerned ears.

"I'm being serious, Paul. You're young. You should be out there enjoying yourself instead of working yourself into the ground." 

Paul sighed in frustration knowing his mother meant well but it was the same thing every time she called and it was starting to wear extremely thin. "I'm fine, Mom. Honestly. " 

Patricia frowned at the other end but knew better than to pursue the subject for now. She didn't want her son getting mad at her which he seemed to do every time she pushed him about his social life. It wasn't that she wasn't proud of him for working hard. She was. She was so proud of him at times she could burst. But she worried about him like any normal mother would. She hated the thought of him rattling around all alone in that big house with no-one to go home to at night. There was no-one to share his day or cook him a nice meal. Her son was a wonderful man. He deserved to be happy. He deserved to be loved although she knew he was wary of relationships after being hurt in the past. His past was also the reason for her early morning call. She wanted to warn Paul before he saw the invitation that had arrived in the mail. She had received hers today and she had no doubt his was on the way. 

"So, are you going to tell me why you called?" Paul asked. 

Patricia bit down on her lip anxiously. She looked at the white and gold invitation in her hand and knew she had no choice. "Paul, Nick and Andrea are getting married." 

Her words were followed by silence at the other end and her brow wrinkled with her concern as she waited impatiently for a response. She knew the news would have shocked him. She just needed to know he was okay.

"Paul?"

His soft sigh crackled down the line.  
"Yeah, I'm still here."

Paul's expression was thoughtful as his brown eyes stared straight ahead, unsure how he felt about the news that his younger cousin and his ex-fiancée were getting married. If he was honest with himself, he wasn't really surprised. After all they had been together a while. It had been at least twelve months since…..well, since he had discovered their relationship. God knows that night was still firmly engrained in his mind. 

"Your father and I got our invitation today. You'll probably get yours soon." Patricia informed him, pausing for a second. "Paul, the wedding is in two weeks." 

"Two weeks?" Paul scoffed as he sat upright in bed. He pushed his hair back from his forehead in disbelief. "Why so soon? What's the rush?" 

"Nick has got a job opportunity in Europe for a year. They wanted to get married at home before they move over there next month." Patricia sighed as she placed the invitation on the small table beside her. "Paul, I know this must be hard for you. I'll understand if you don't want to go to the wedding." 

Paul swallowed hard as his mom's words lingered in his mind and he pushed back the covers getting out of bed. His bare feet padded across the thick carpet as he walked across to the large sash window. 

"I'm sure Aunt Jane would understand too if you decided not to come." 

Paul frowned at the mention of his aunt's name. The last thing he wanted or needed was his family's sympathy or pity. He wasn't some sad case pining over a lost love. Maybe it was his stupid pride getting in the way but he was going to show them that quite frankly, he didn't give a fuck who Andrea married. They were over. She had made that blatantly clear when she had made the decision to screw his cousin. And he had dealt with it and he had moved on. He was going to go to the damn wedding and he was going to take great pleasure in making sure she was out of his life for good.

"I'll be there." he told her, his mind made up. 

"Are you sure?" 

He heard the surprise in his mother's voice and his facial expression softened, knowing she was only looking out for him. She always did.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm sure." 

"Well, you know your sister will be there, looking out for you. So will your father and I." 

Paul smiled at the thought of his sister. He knew Lynn would be overly protective of him. She still blamed herself for introducing him to Andrea in the first place. She was his sister's best friend. Or at least she had been until Lynn had discovered she had screwed around on her younger brother. She hadn't spoken to her since despite Paul assuring her he was more than happy for them to be friends. 

"We won't let you go through this alone, Paul." 

"I know but it's okay because I won't be alone." he shot back, instantly grimacing at his words as he cursed himself silently. Damn. That lie had just slipped out. It appeared his stupid pride was getting in the way yet again. 

"You're bringing someone?" his mother asked curiously. 

Paul knew he should say no and he could stop this lie before he dug himself an even deeper hole. But there was something preventing him from the truth. Maybe it was the thought of the sympathetic looks from everyone as they watched him attend the wedding alone. Or maybe it was the satisfaction he would get from the look on Andrea's face when she realised that he wasn't as broken hearted as she liked to imagine he was. God knows he was sick and tired of his family thinking he was "poor Paul". This would be his chance to prove to everyone that he had moved on. That he didn't give a damn about her any more.

He closed his eyes as he strengthened his resolve, leaning against the window frame and silently apologising to his mother before he spoke. "Yeah, I'll be bringing someone." 

"Who?" 

"You'll find out when we arrive." 

"Well can't I at least get a name? Aunt Jane will need to know her name anyway for the wedding reception." 

Her face entered his head and her name fell from his lips before he had a chance to even stop himself. "It's Stephanie."

Paul winced, mentally cursing himself. Christ. His lie was growing by the second.

"Well I'll be looking forward to meeting her." replied Patricia with a happy lilt in her voice. "You know, we're travelling up on the Wednesday. We're going to make a little vacation out of it. You should come with us then. It will give us a chance to catch up and get to know Stephanie before the wedding." 

Paul scratched his forehead trying to figure how the hell he was going to get out of this one. "I'll think about it Mom. I'll need to check and make sure I can take the time off work."

He heard his mother scoff at the other end of the phone.

"Paul, you own the company. I think you can allow yourself a little time off." 

He sighed wearily rubbing his stubbled chin. "Look, I'll see what I can do." 

"You'd better or I'll come over there and personally drag your ass to Worcester." 

Paul couldn't help but smile at her familiar threatening tone. "Point taken. I'll make sure I'm there." 

"Good. Now I've got to go. I told Lynn I'd go shopping with her." 

"Well, enjoy yourself. I know how much of a drag it is for you women to trail round that mall." 

"Don't be so smart." 

Paul chuckled. "Take care Mom."

As he hung up the phone, his smile quickly faded and he shook his head as he walked back to his bed. How the fuck he was going to pull this one off?! Sitting down on the mattress, he placed his head in his hands as his arms rested on his legs.

"You're screwed, Paul." he told himself. "You are totally screwed."

With a loud groan, he threw himself backwards onto the bed, the mattress creaking underneath him. Grabbing a pillow he covered his face and shut out the entire world as he tried to figure out just what the hell he had done and how on earth he was going to pull it off. 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Stephanie's feet pounded hard against the tarmac briefly side-stepping an old lady as she walked her dog in the park. As she continued her run, she tilted her face to catch the warm spring breeze that gently blew. It was a beautiful May morning and the sun shone brightly in the clear, blue sky above. There were various people jotted around as they took advantage of the perfect weather. Some were cycling bikes with their children following closely behind them. Others were just out for a stroll walking hand in hand. Stephanie was smiling as she passed by them enjoying the freedom she always felt when she ran. It helped her escape and gave her a chance to clear her head. God knows she was always so busy lately. Between school and her job, she very rarely had time for anything let alone time to think. That was why she loved the weekends. She got time out from her busy schedule to just slow down and catch her breath.

Stephanie exited the park and made her way along the street towards home. Her white t-shirt felt damp and it clung uncomfortably to her skin. It was so hot despite the slight breeze that blew and it was a sure fire sign that summer was on its way.

Just then a cab rumbled steadily past her and her lips curved into a fond smile. The cab reminded her of Paul and the "date" they had shared last night. It had definitely been a fun time. She had really enjoyed herself despite the fact she was there on a professional capacity and Paul had seemed like a really nice guy. He had been charming and fun not to mention extremely hot. That was definitely a rarity in her line of business. The majority of the men she accompanied were fifty and balding. Very few of them turned out to be young, gorgeous guys like Paul.

As she turned a corner, Stephanie made a mental note to call Keira when she got home. She had promised she would and she would need to make sure she did before Ethan came over. 

Just then Stephanie turned into her street. She slowed down as she approached her building, grinning as she recognised the small, blonde haired girl in the floral dress walking her way.

"Jen!" she called.

She jogged over towards her friend and pulled her into a hug. She was surprised to see her. They didn't get to spend much time together now Jen was a mother. 

"I don't know why you insist on torturing yourself every morning." Jen said, smiling as she released her. "And if you don't mind me saying so, you badly need a shower." She made a face as she rubbed her damp hands on her dress. 

Stephanie laughed as she made her way to her apartment with Jen following close on her heels. "So where is your beautiful daughter?" 

"With her father." Jen waited patiently as Stephanie unlocked her door. "He came home drunk last night. I figured spending the morning with a teething eleven month old baby was sufficient punishment." 

Stephanie smiled in amusement as she walked into the apartment. She threw her keys down as she gestured towards the kitchen. "Can I get you a coffee?" 

Jen shook her head. Her blonde curls bounced across her shoulders. "I'll make it while you grab that shower." 

She smiled at her gratefully. Her skin was hot and sticky and she knew she smelled less than fresh. "Are you sure?" 

"Positive. Now, on you go."

As Jen waved her towards the bathroom, Stephanie didn't need to be told twice. She kicked off her running shoes and went to take her shower. She smiled to herself as she got undressed and heard her friend rummage around in the kitchen. Jen was a total doll. Stephanie had met her when she had first moved to Boston. They had lived on the same floor at the dorms at school. She had been the first girl to introduce herself to Stephanie and had persuaded her to tag along to a party that night. They had bonded over boyfriend issues and beer and had been close friends ever since. 

"Stephanie, where do you keep the coffee again?" 

"Left hand cupboard, bottom shelf."

Stephanie waited for a second before getting into the shower. 

"Got it." 

She smiled as she stepped underneath the hot water grabbing the shampoo from the shelf. Another thing she admired about her friend was that Jen was an amazing mother. She had been so scared when she had discovered she was pregnant especially as she and Brad had only been dating a few months at the time. She had even toyed with the idea of having a termination. She had been a top student with an amazing future ahead of her but after many heart to heart conversations with Stephanie and Brad, Jen had decided that her future would be even more amazing with her baby in it. Brad had been delighted and Stephanie had been glad to support her friend in every way she could. 

As she began to rinse the soapy suds from her hair, Stephanie heard the faint sound of the phone ringing through the hallway and she quickly washed it clean. She turned off the water and grabbed the towel beside her. She had noticed the phone had stopped ringing so she took her time drying herself off before padding through to her bedroom to pull on some clothes. She frowned as she heard Jen talk to whoever had called. Deciding it must be Ethan, Stephanie pulled on her t-shirt and jeans and running her fingers quickly through her hair, she made her way through to the adjoining living room. 

"Well, it was nice to talk to you too, Keira." 

Stephanie raised her brow, surprised to learn it was her boss that had called. 

"Here's Stephanie. I'll get her for you now."

Jen smiled at her friend as she passed her the phone.

"I'll finish that coffee." 

Stephanie nodded in appreciation as she took the phone and placed it to her ear, bending down to straighten the cushion on her seat. "Hey Keira. I was going to call you later." 

"Well I've saved you the trouble. So, how did it go with Mr Levesque last night?" 

A slow smile crept across her face at the simple mention of Paul's name. "It went fine. He was a really nice guy, Keira. A perfect gentleman in fact."

"Really? Well I'm glad you think so because he's asked if you could escort him again tonight." 

Stephanie frowned as her plans for the evening began to fall apart in front of her. "Tonight? But it's my night off. I've got a date with Ethan." 

"I'm sorry, Steph. You know I wouldn't ask if I didn't have to." 

Stephanie rolled her lips together reluctantly, brushing her damp hair behind her ear. "Is Mia still sick?" 

"Actually no but it seems you made quite an impression on Mr Levesque. He asked for you personally when he called." 

Stephanie bit down on her lip at that little revelation and couldn't deny she felt a small twinge of happiness at the fact that he had asked to see her again. Plus it also meant she hadn't let Keira down. She had managed to impress Paul and guaranteed her a new client. It was just a pity it was tonight. She just had to hope that Ethan understood and wasn't mad that yet again, she had cancelled their plans at the last moment.

Her mind made up, she turned round and smiled at Jen who had wandered through with two coffee mugs in her hand. "So what time do I meet him?" 

Keira's squeal of delight echoed down the phone. "Eight o'clock. He'll be at O'Rourkes, the bar by the river. And thank you, Steph. You're a lifesaver. I promise I'll make it up to you." 

"I'll hold you to that." Stephanie promised as she said her goodbyes and hanging up, she accepted the mug from Jen's outstretched hand. She took a mouthful of the hot liquid and cupped it between her hands as she sat down on the sofa. Jen took the chair across from her. 

"So, you're working tonight?" 

Stephanie nodded her head as she swallowed her coffee. "I can never say no when she asks me." 

Jen chuckled. "I know what you mean. Keira could always be very persuasive when she wanted to be." 

"I think I've worked every night this week." 

Her friend gasped in disbelief. "Then you must be rolling in it, my girl. The next time we have a night out, the drinks are most definitely on you." 

"Deal." Stephanie raised her mug towards her in a gesture and laughed. 

"So, who was the perfect gentleman I heard you tell Keira about." 

"His name is Paul. Paul Levesque." 

Jen wore an amused smile as she watched Stephanie duck her head and begin to stare absently into her mug. If she wasn't mistaken, there was a definite dreamy look on her face. The crooked little grin was a dead give away. "He was a looker, wasn't he?" 

Stephanie looked up as a soft sigh escaped her lips. "Jen, he was absolutely gorgeous." 

"Well, spill it girl. I want all the details." 

"Well what can I say? He's tall. Very tall and extremely muscular too. Honestly, I have never seen a pinstripe suit look so good on a guy. And he had these beautiful brown eyes that you could just get lost in every time you looked at them. And his smile….God Jen, his smile was incredible."

Jen stared wide-eyed at her friend. "Someone sounds very smitten." 

Stephanie blushed as she scoffed at her friend. "Don't be silly. I was only describing what he looked like." 

Her friend snorted in disbelief. "Yeah, right. Steph, you're practically gushing over him." 

"I am not." 

"You are too." 

Stephanie took a drink of her coffee as she listened to her friend's amused chuckles. 

"So he's gorgeous and a gentleman." Jen's smile faded as her expression turned serious. "But he's a client, Steph. You will remember that, won't you?" 

Stephanie sighed as she placed her mug on the table in front of her. "Of course I will. And don't worry. Paul Levesque may be good looking but he is no different to any of my other clients. I always keep things strictly professional and Paul is no exception to that rule." 

But as Jen watched her friend closely, she knew better and wondered who she was trying to convince. Maybe it was her or maybe Stephanie was just trying really hard to convince herself………. 

Later that night, Paul was tapping his fingers nervously against the wooden table, glancing around the room as he waited for Stephanie to arrive. He held his cold beer bottle in his other hand as he silently took in his surroundings. It was extremely busy in the bar tonight. The tables were full and a group of people were standing beside the bar. It was a birthday celebration by the looks of things. The girls wore streamers and party hats and carried coloured balloons and the guys, as usual, were more interested in the beer.

As he looked towards the other side of the room, he saw the door slowly open and his brown eyes eagerly watched for her, anticipating her arrival. He wasn't disappointed when he saw her walk through the door. His breath hitched in his chest as he watched her stand there searching the room for him and had to admit the girl looked amazing. Her hair was pinned up and she wore a black halter top and a skirt that more than showed off her long shapely legs. Paul swallowed hard as he continued to take her in. Stephanie looked just as beautiful as he remembered.

As he stood up and eventually caught her attention, he exhaled slowly telling himself to stay calm. The last thing he needed to do was turn into a blubbering idiot right in front of her. This was a business proposition after all, nothing more. But as Stephanie stood in front of him and smiled that dazzling smile, Paul had a hard time recalling what it was he had just told himself. 

"Good evening." Stephanie said almost shyly as she held out her manicured hand towards him and smiled. 

"Hey Stephanie." Paul accepted her hand and despite his nerves, his handshake was firm. "Thank you for coming." 

She smiled in acknowledgment and sat down in the seat he pulled out for her. 

"Can I get you a drink?" he offered. 

"Yes please." 

"A white wine?" 

Stephanie smiled and nodded her head and watched Paul make his way to the bar. He looked great in a black cotton shirt and a pair of faded denim jeans but his choice of dress attire did make her question exactly why she was here. Paul wasn't dressed for a business dinner – well not a formal one anyway and meeting in a bar, especially a busy Irish bar like this one, wasn't exactly the best place to conduct business either. But not that she had any reason to think this was anything untoward. He really didn't seem like that type of guy and besides, he had arranged this through Keira. Everything had to be pretty much above board and really, she had no cause to worry. 

"One white wine for the lady." 

Stephanie smiled at Paul as he reappeared, placing her drink in front of her. "Thank you."

She picked it up and took a sip as he sat in the seat across from her. She watched his brown eyes dart around the room.

"It's busy in here tonight." she commented. 

Paul smiled as he sat back in his chair and picked up his beer. "You read my mind." 

He took a mouthful of his drink before absently picking the label on his bottle. Stephanie realised Paul seemed nervous much like he had last night and in all honesty, she found his behaviour kind of cute.

"Well at least I knew who to look for when I walked in here tonight." she said. 

He chuckled. "A face certainly helps." 

Stephanie smiled, shifting forward in her seat as she rested her elbows on the wooden surface. Her big blue eyes sparkled back at him. "So, Mr Levesque." she began. "Who are we planning to charm the socks off tonight?" 

She heard Paul clear his throat nervously as he quickly glanced away. His big hand clutched his beer bottle tightly as he took another long drink. Stephanie frowned as he focused his attention on the bottle in front of him and continued to avoid her gaze. His actions only aroused her growing suspicions.

"Paul, you haven't answered my question. What are we doing here?" 

He eventually lifted his head slowly. Paul saw Stephanie watching him, her brow furrowed as she waited for his reply. She was definitely going to think he was stupid and desperate for even asking her this and he wouldn't be surprised if she turned around and threw his proposition back in his face. But he had to at least try especially now he had to continue with his lie after his mother's phone call this afternoon. She had sounded so excited when she had informed him that their hotel rooms were booked including one for him and Stephanie and they were staying in Worcester from the Wednesday to the Monday. It had all been arranged. He couldn't back out now even if he had wanted to. Not without telling the truth and he was in far too deep to even contemplate coming clean. So all he had to do was try and persuade Stephanie to go along with his plan. 

"Paul?" 

Sighing softly, he knew it was now or never. She was beginning to look really pissed at him. If he stalled any longer, she would be out that door faster than he could blink.

Putting down his bottle, Paul licked his lips as he felt his mouth go suddenly dry. It was crazy and it unnerved him. God knows he sealed huge business deals every day of the week yet right now, this seemed a hell of a lot more daunting than all of those meetings put together. And on top of everything else, his stomach was performing somersaults. 

"You either tell me what's going on or I'm straight out that door." Stephanie threatened. 

Paul's brown eyes reluctantly settled on her knowing he had finally run out of time and had to make her the offer. "I've got a business proposition for you." he finally told her. 

Stephanie's mouth downturned in a frown as she looked at him, confused. She pushed her glass of wine aside as she clasped her hands loosely in front of her. "I don't understand. What kind of business proposition could you have for me?" 

Paul bit his lip anxiously as his fingers raked through his hair. "Well….." He paused sighing softly. "Look, there's no easy way to put this so I'm just going to come out with it. I want to offer you an agreed sum of money if you'll accompany me to a family wedding."

"What?" Stephanie sputtered out and her blue eyes were wide as they stared at him disbelievingly. "Are you crazy or something?" 

Paul slowly shook his head as he smiled at her sheepishly. "Crazy, no. Desperate, yes."

He sighed heavily as he pushed back his hair. He knew he needed to come clean. "Look Steph, the truth is I've dug myself a hole and I need your help to get me out of it." 

Stephanie sat back and watched him tentatively from her chair. "What kind of hole?" 

"The kind of hole where I might have lied to my mother and told her I was bringing a date to the wedding." 

"And how does that involve me exactly?" 

Paul rubbed his beard and grimaced at his own admission. "I told her my date was called Stephanie." 

Stephanie's blue eyes widened in alarm. "And why on earth would you do that, Paul?" 

He pressed his lips together, throwing his hands in the air almost in defeat. "I don't know. You were the first name that entered my head when she called me this morning." 

Stephanie shook her head still unable to fully process what was going on. "So let me get this straight. You want me to pretend to be your date for a family wedding." 

"Yes." 

"And you're going to pay me for it?" 

"Well I'm not exactly expecting you to do it out of the goodness of your heart."  
He saw her glare back at him and he quickly apologised.

"Look I'm sorry. Of course I'll pay you." 

As she sat there mulling over what Paul had offered her, Stephanie knew she was crazy for even considering it but she had to admit, a huge part of her was intrigued.

"How much?" 

Paul lifted his right shoulder in a casual shrug. "How much do you want?" 

"I don't know. How much is the going rate for saving your ass for the day?" 

Paul winced apologetically as he braced himself for her reaction. "Make that five days." 

"What?!" Stephanie's blue eyes looked shocked as they stared back at him. They were huge and were practically popping out of her head. "Paul, you are definitely crazy." 

He sighed heavily in defeat. "I know. But hey, it was worth a try." 

The dejected look on his face tugged at her heart strings and Stephanie couldn't help herself as she reached out and touched his hand that lay outstretched on the table in front of her.

"So why did you lie to your Mom in the first place?" she asked him. "Surely there's nothing wrong with going to a wedding by yourself?"

Paul slowly shook his head and there seemed to be a flicker of sadness that lingered in his deep brown eyes as he looked at her. "But see it's not just any wedding. My cousin is getting married."

He paused as he shifted in his seat.

"To my ex-fiancée." he finally admitted. 

Stephanie let go of his hand as she sat back completely stunned, not sure what to say. 

"And I just know that if I go alone, everyone will be watching me thinking "poor Paul." Their faces will be full of pity and sympathy and it will drive me nuts."

Paul sighed once more as he picked up the beer mat and began flipping it through his fingers. The corner of his mouth lifted in a hesitant smile.

"I guess I also wanted to show Andrea that I had moved on. That I had put her behind me for good." 

Stephanie nodded, smiling sympathetically, understanding his situation and she didn't have to ask who Andrea was. She knew she was Paul's ex-fiancée. An ex-fiancée that had obviously done quite the number on him but yet still expected him to be pining away after her; one of those women that didn't want him for herself but didn't want anyone else to have him either. And one of those women who, in her personal opinion, deserved to have her smug smile wiped from their face.

Feeling a rush of anger towards this Andrea person, Stephanie knew she was crazy for even contemplating it but for some reason, she felt inclined to help the guy out. Honestly, she wasn't entirely sure her answer was no.

Stephanie quickly took a gulp of her wine and her conflicted mind was working overtime as she placed her glass back on the table. Paul was smiling at her and as she felt a faint flutter in the pit of her stomach, she tried to reason with herself.

"We hardly know each other. There's no way we could pull it off." 

Paul watched her curiously for a second before slowly nodding his head in agreement. "I know." 

"It would be complete madness." 

"Absolutely." 

"So how much?" 

Paul blinked slightly thrown by her question, not quite willing to believe that maybe, just maybe, Stephanie would do it. "How much do you want?" he asked her carefully. 

Stephanie swallowed hard and lifting her shoulders in a shrug, she said the first figure that came into her head. A figure that would surely put Paul off going through with such a crazy idea.

"Five thousand dollars." she said confidently. 

"Five thousand it is." Paul replied without missing a beat. He saw her big blue eyes widen in absolute shock and waited anxiously for her reply. The girl got what she wanted. Now the ball was in her court. 

Stephanie licked her lips, letting out a slow calming breath. "So just like that?" 

"Just like that." 

She bit down on the soft flesh inside her mouth in contemplation and had to admit she was really tempted by his offer. Five thousand dollars for five days was a hell of a lot of money especially for a third year student like herself. The question was could she trust this man, could she trust Paul Levesque?

As she mulled this over, Stephanie looked up and met those eyes. The warm brown eyes that told her she already knew her answer. She held out her slender hand towards him and smiled as he accepted it.

"Then I'd say we've got ourselves a deal."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Stephanie skipped down the steps of the library building and started to make her way across campus. She adjusted the strap of her bag on her shoulder and pushed up her sleeves of her shirt as the warm sunshine beat down upon her skin. She weaved in and out the students heading in the opposite direction, smiling briefly at the odd face she recognised. It was her fifth and final exam today. One she had been dreading hence the reason why she had spent the better part of the morning holed up in the library. She hated statistics. Figures never had been her strong point and never seemed to make a lot of sense to her but she'd studied hard this week and with a little help from Ethan she had finally managed to understand the complex workings of frequency polygons. With any luck, it would be enough and she would manage to struggle her way through her test.

Stephanie pushed her hair behind her ear as she made her way across the grass lightly frowning as she heard the low ringing in her bag. She reached in and retrieved her phone as she continued towards the large red brick building in front of her. Flipping it open, she looked down and saw his name and her lips upturned into an amused smile. She was getting used to his calls and they were becoming more frequent as the wedding drew ever closer. She answered her phone as she climbed the granite steps.

"Hello?"

"Chicken or tuna?"

Stephanie's nose crinkled in confusion at his out of blue question. She shifted the phone to her other ear as she pushed open the large double door. "Paul, what are you going on about?"

"Which one would you have? Chicken or tuna?"

"Well see that all depends. Are we talking sandwiches here or salads?"

"Sandwiches."

"Then it would be chicken, I guess."

"On white or rye bread?"

"Rye." She shook her head slightly and smiled. "Can I ask if there is a reason why you're asking me these particular questions?"

"Well right now I'm looking at the menu for this deli down the road and I couldn't decide what to have for lunch."

"So you thought you'd call me to help you make up your mind?" she asked as she stood outside the door to the classroom. She lifted her hand to wave at one of her classmates, as he entered the room.

"Well yeah. Plus I get to learn to know what you like. It's all part of the whole getting to know you thing we got going on." explained Paul.

A crooked grin spread across Stephanie's face as she leant back against the faded orange wall and looked down at her feet as she shuffled them in front of her. Although she hadn't seen Paul since she had accepted his offer, they had talked almost every day on the phone and at first the conversations between them had been stilted and guarded. It was only to be expected she supposed. After all they hardly knew one another and she personally wasn't in the habit of sharing intimate conversations with strangers. However, after the first couple of phone calls a certain easiness developed in their conversation and she found that Paul was extremely easy to talk to. Case in point last night they had been on the phone for well over an hour chatting about nothing and everything. And the truth was the more she discovered about Paul Levesque, the more she found she liked him. Not only that, he really seemed to be a genuinely nice guy and that certainly helped alleviate any doubts she had felt about her decision to accompany him to the wedding. In fact in a weird sort of way, she was actually looking forward to it.

Licking her lips, Stephanie smiled into her phone. "I see. In that case, Mr Levesque, what drink would I choose? A Diet Coke or a Mountain Dew?"

"Ah! A trick question. That's a dirty tactic Miss McMahon. The answer is neither. You prefer Pepsi."

"Well, well. I am impressed."

Paul's chuckle echoed down the line. "I do listen to you occasionally, you know." He paused clearing his throat at the other end. "So, your exam? It's this afternoon, right?"

Stephanie brushed her hair behind her ear and smiled, touched that he had actually remembered. Then again, she had more than likely chewed his ear off numerous times over the past few days about how worried she was that there was probably no chance he could forget.

"It's in ten minutes." she told him. "I'm standing outside the room as we speak."

"Feeling nervous?"

"A little." She let out a distracted chuckle as she felt her stomach churn anxiously and a feeling of dread began to encompass her as she let her mind wander to the next three hours that lay ahead. She swallowed hard as her hand rested against her midriff rubbing it absently. "Actually, I'm starting to feel sick just thinking about it." she confessed.

"Well, try not to worry. I know you'll do great."

"I'm not so sure." She glanced nervously towards the class room. "You don't fancy trading places do you? You could take the test and I could sit in your fancy office and do whatever it is you do."

Stephanie heard Paul's deep throaty laughter down the phone and bit down on her lip as she pictured his brown eyes twinkling with his smile. She had to admit there was definitely something about his eyes; something that had captivated her from the first moment they had met.

"And what makes you think I have a fancy office? Maybe I sit in a little box room at the end of the hallway with just a broom and a mop for company."

"Somehow I find that hard to believe." Stephanie replied, laughing, her nerves temporarily forgotten.

"You do?" asked Paul, pretending to be shocked.

"Of course I do." She smiled, twisting a strand of hair around her finger. "In fact I can picture you right now in your huge high-rise modern office with a view that no doubt overlooks the whole city. You'll have ridiculously expensive furniture of course, which you can afford because you've just screwed some poor old man out of millions of dollars, and you'll be sitting at your ridiculously expensive desk, which is littered in paper by the way, staring at some high-tech computer that you don't have the foggiest how to use but at the moment has some cute screensaver scrolling across it that you find extremely amusing."

"Not bad McMahon but you did forget to mention my vastly-stocked little mini-bar in the corner here."

Stephanie clicked her tongue. "Such extravagance!"

"Hey, it's not for me. It's for the people I do business with. I like to offer them a drink once we've sealed the deal. Help to ease their pain a little, you know."

"You're all heart, Mr Levesque." she replied. She stopped playing with her hair and checked the watch on her wrist prompting her to sigh heavily. "And, unfortunately I've got to go."

"Hey, chin up. You'll do just fine. I know you will."

She bit down on her lip and smiled.

"But if by any chance you do fuck it up, you should drop by. Sample my extensive liquor collection."

"You never know. I might just take you up on that offer." Stephanie chuckled, pushing herself off the wall and adjusted her bag on her shoulder.

"Feel free anytime." Paul said, pausing for a second. "But seriously, good luck for this afternoon."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now take a deep breath, smile and ace that test. I'll see ya, Steph."

With those words, Paul ended the call. Stephanie slowly closed her phone over and placed it in her brown bag. And as she stood in front of the large oak door, she took a deep breath. Paul's words of encouragement rung in her ears and she smiled as she entered the room……..

Several hours later Paul was across town staring at the legal documents in front of him. He sighed as he pushed back his long blonde hair from his forehead. His eyes were heavy and he was tired and he was desperate to forget all about this and just go home. But unfortunately he couldn't because he was travelling to Worcester tomorrow. He had to get these papers checked and signed before he left. Old Jack Harris wouldn't appreciate being kept waiting especially now he had finally decided to sign on the dotted line.

Sighing softly, Paul's hand reached for the bottle of water on his desk. His eyes pored over the endless contract clauses in front of him and he shook his head as he took a long swallow of his cold drink. He swore lawyers deliberately used fancy words to confuse the hell out of everybody. He was going to need a crash course in Latin just to understand the damn thing.

Swallowing his water and placing down the bottle, Paul rubbed at his eye. His fingers played with the corner of the page as he continued to read and even when the phone rang out, his eyes never left the page. His hand reached across and picked up with his elbow resting on the polished desk as he placed the receiver to his ear.

"Hello?"

"It's late, son. You should be home in bed instead of being stuck in that office, you know."

Paul shook his head and smiled as he glanced down at his watch. His chair creaked as he rested back against it, the papers in front of him momentarily forgotten. "Ma, I'm twenty seven years old. I think my bedtime can stretch a little past ten o'clock. Although saying that, even if I was in bed, what would be the point? Your call would have only woken me up anyway."

"Don't be a smart ass, Paul Michael. It doesn't suit you."

Paul rolled his eyes in amusement at her stern tone. "So, what's your reason for calling me so late, Mother?" he asked as he shifted in the seat.

"I thought I would just check to see that you're all packed and ready for tomorrow."

"Not yet but I will be."

His answer prompted Patricia to sigh at the other end.

"Paul, we've to be in Worcester before lunch time. You're not going to have time to pack in the morning."

Paul yawned as he rubbed his forehead wearily.

"You sound exhausted. You should go home."

"I will, Mom. I just got these papers to look over then I'm going straight home."

"You promise?"

"I promise."

"Good and I'm quite sure Stephanie doesn't approve of you working so late."

Paul chewed on his bottom lip at the mention of her name as he stood up and walked across to the large glass window. He still couldn't help but feel guilty about this and every single time he lied to his own mother. He wasn't in the habit of being dishonest with her but ever since she had found out about Stephanie, she had always mentioned her. Paul knew she was desperate to meet her which made him feel even guiltier. After all, this was the first woman he had mentioned since his break-up with Andrea and he knew his mom just wanted him to be happy. He felt awful for trying to deceive her and had lost count of the number of times over the past ten days that he had thought about coming clean. But then he would think about the pitiful looks on everyone's faces and the look on Andrea's face when she saw him turning up alone and he knew he couldn't do it and besides, he was in way too deep to back out now.

Rubbing his chin, Paul sighed as he looked down at the quiet streets below. His eyes followed the tail lights of the cars as they travelled along the street and faded into the distance.

"Paul, are you still there?"

"Yeah, I'm still here."

"Everything is okay between you and Stephanie, isn't it?"

"Of course, Mom. Steph and I are cool." he reassured her as he walked back to his desk. The animated screensaver on his monitor caught his attention and Paul smiled as he remembered Stephanie's teasing in their earlier conversation. As he sat back down on his chair, he wondered how she did on her test. He had meant to call her and finalise the details for tomorrow anyway but as usual he'd just never had the time to get round to it.

"Well then maybe she could help you with your packing?"

Paul smiled softly knowing his mother all too well and knowing she liked to fish for information trying to disguise it by asking seemingly innocent questions. "Stephanie will have her own packing to do Mom at her own place."

"So you won't be seeing her tonight then?"

Paul had just opened his mouth to reply when his cell phone started to ring. Wondering who was calling him, he frowned as he reached across the desk to pick it up. "Hold on a sec Mom, will you? I've got another call."

He checked the screen and a crooked smile crossed his face when he saw her name lit up.

"Actually, Mom, it's Stephanie who's calling me. Can I give you a call back?"

"There's no need. Just make sure your ass is up and at the hotel by noon tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay. I'll see you then, Mom."

He placed the receiver down with one hand while he answered his cell with the other. "Hey." he said softly.

"Hey yourself. I hope you don't mind me calling. I just wanted to check what time we leave tomorrow."

Paul leant forward in his seat, his elbows resting on the desk as his eyes fell on the unfinished paperwork in front of him. "I'm sorry. I meant to call you earlier but I've been swamped at work."

"You're not still in that ridiculously expensive office of yours, are you?"

A slow smile crept across his lips. "Yep. It's alright though. My mop and broom are here keeping me company."

And that smile widened as he heard her laugh.

"So, how did that test of yours go?" asked Paul.

"Okay, I think. It wasn't as traumatic as I expected."

"So, I don't need to stock up my mini-bar?"

"No. I think it's safe for the time being. Although, I have to admit I'm not sure how long that might last being I'm starting to feel pretty nervous about this whole wedding thing."

Her words prompted Paul to sigh softly as he pushed back his hair knowing Stephanie wasn't the only one who was feeling that way. His stomach had been doing cartwheels every time he thought about the damn thing. And if he felt nervous, God knows what Stephanie was going through. She was the one who wouldn't know anybody. Hell, she hardly even knew him and anything she did know, she'd discovered through their agreed telephone conversations and even they had been few and far between.

Suddenly he realised the enormity of what he was asking her to do for him and his earlier feelings of guilt quickly resurfaced. After all he had been having doubts. Maybe Stephanie was having them too. Maybe she regretted agreeing to this in the first place and just couldn't find a way to tell him. If that was the case, it was up to him to make it easy for her. Because as much as he needed her to do this for him, he hated to think she was attending this wedding against her will.

Sitting back in his chair, Paul's long fingers loosened the tie around his neck. "Listen Steph, I just want to tell you that if you're having second thoughts about this whole arrangement, please don't be scared to tell me. I'll understand completely if you don't want to go through with this."

Stephanie smiled softly, touched by his gesture. She had to admit that she had considered letting Paul down gently especially after this evening. Ethan hadn't exactly been over the moon when she had told him she was going out of town until Monday. Apparently he had made plans. He wanted to take her to Washington to meet his parents now that school was finally over and his face had fallen when she had told him she couldn't make it. Of course she hadn't told him the truth about why she couldn't go. Instead she had made up a story about visiting Jen's family in Chicago after finally getting Jen to agree to go along with it. Only Jen was privy to her business deal with Paul. She hadn't been exactly enthralled with it either when she had found out. In fact, she had questioned Stephanie's sanity for even considering going though with it but after listening to her friend's repeated reassurances, she had agreed that five thousand dollars was a lot of money to turn down. She had also made Stephanie promise to call her every day to make sure she was still alive and to carry some form of protection with her at all times. She had reminded her friend that no matter how charming Paul Levesque seemed to be, Ted Bundy, the serial killer, had been a good looking, well-educated man too.

"It's okay to change your mind you know." said Paul.

Stephanie absently shook her head despite Paul not being able to see her at the other end of the phone. Because despite her nerves and her previous doubts, she had made up her mind she was doing this. The money was definitely too tempting and if she was honest, the more she had got to know Paul, the more appealing the arrangement had been. He was a nice guy and there was the possibility they could end up friends after all of this. And who knows? Maybe she might even end up enjoying herself in the process. Her mind made up, Stephanie's smile widened as she twirled the phone cord around her thin finger.

"What time will you be picking me up?" she asked him.

There was a pause before the phone crackled with Paul's sigh of relief and he proceeded to give her the details.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Frowning slightly, Stephanie pushed back her hair with her sunglasses and rested her arm against the window. The clear, cold glass instantly chilled her hot skin as her eyes focused on the road watching the steady flow of traffic that lay ahead. The highway was busy and full of travellers that somehow all seemed to be heading in their direction which of course meant that their journey had been slowed down considerably to the point where they were practically sitting at a standstill. So this meant that they were running extremely late, in fact considerably later than when they had set off this morning. Of course this had prompted Paul to curse loudly on a number of occasions.

Stephanie's lips upturned into a smile as she turned her head to glance at him. His thick arm rested on the open window frame as his fingers lightly drummed against the steering wheel in time to the music. His white cotton t-shirt strained against the size of his bicep and she found herself staring in admiration. Sitting in such close proximity to Paul made her realise how big he actually was and there was no doubt he definitely worked out and obviously looked after himself both in and out the gym.

As Stephanie's eyes travelled to where his fingers drummed a beat, she thought that she'd never seen a guy with such nice hands and nails in her life before and she found herself wondering if they felt as soft as they looked.

"Christ, my mom is going to kill me." said Paul before pushing back his hair and shifting in his seat.

Stephanie couldn't help but let out a chuckle and all thoughts about his hands were momentarily forgotten as she caught the slightly perplexed expression on his face. An expression which shifted into amusement as Paul glanced at her before turning his attention back to the road.

"It's no laughing matter, you know. She's going to kick my ass." he told her.

"Well, maybe you should have dragged that ass out of bed an hour earlier and then you wouldn't currently be in fear of your life."

Paul looked at her once more and smirked. "Are you trying to get smart with me, McMahon?"

Stephanie's blue eyes glinted at him playfully as she lifted her shoulder in a shrug. "Maybe I'm just telling you the truth. And the truth is your lazy ass is the reason why we're late."

His deep throaty laughter filled the car and Stephanie found her heart suddenly skipping a beat as his wide grin worked its way through her. She quickly turned back round towards the front of the silver Expedition taking a second to catch her breath as her eyes travelled over the polished dashboard in front of her.

"So, this is a nice truck." she commented. "How much does one of these set you back?"

"I don't know. I think this was about fifty thousand."

Stephanie's blue eyes went wide as she shifted in her seat to stare back at him in disbelief. "Fifty thousand bucks!? For a car!?"

Paul nodded and smiled, amused at her reaction. "That's nothing. I got a Lamborghini in my garage that cost me two hundred."

She found herself picking her mouth from the ground. "Two hundred thousand dollars? Jesus Christ, Paul. That's a lot of money for a car."

She paused for a second letting her mind try to fathom it all out.

"So tell me. Is it gold plated or something?" she asked.

"No. But it goes really fast." Paul's mouth upturned with his grin which he flashed in her direction, his brown eyes sparkling with his obvious delight as they pulled to another standstill. "Like really, really fast."

Stephanie shook her head, amused by the excitement she could hear in his voice. "I don't know. Boys and your damn toys."

He chuckled and was just about to reply when his cell phone began to ring. He picked it up from the dash and groaned audibly when he saw the caller display. "Christ! Here we go."

He pressed the button placing it to his ear.

"Hello mother." he said cheerily.

Stephanie watched Paul roll his eyes at her as he listened to the voice at the other end.

"I know, I know. But we're only about ten minutes away."

Her own eyes went wide with disbelief at that statement. They were currently travelling at a snail's pace. They would be lucky to make it to the end of this stretch in ten minutes never mind the five miles they had left until they finally got to Worcester.

"Yes. I know I'm over an hour late Mom."

She watched him scratch his head and lightly smack his right hand against the steering wheel.

"It's not my fault. The traffic is fucking awful."

His nose instantly crinkled into a scowl which Stephanie realised she found extremely cute.

"Okay, I'm sorry. I'll wash my mouth out with soap when we get there."

She couldn't help but snort out loud as she tried to control her laughter. Paul's hand lifted off the steering wheel to swat at her arm playfully.

"Yes, Stephanie's here."

He shook his head as he placed his hand back on the steering wheel.

"Oh, I'm sure she can't wait to meet you too. Especially after hearing you chew my ear off just now."

Paul bit down on his lip and sniffed as the cars in front of them finally began to move. "Ma, I need to go. I'll see you in a bit."

He paused as he began to drive the car slowly forward.

"Just go ahead and we'll join you when we get there." he told her before glancing at Stephanie and flipping her a wink before turning his attention back to the road.

Stephanie couldn't help the slow grin that crept across her face or the warmth she could feel pool in the pit of her stomach.

"Okay. Bye Mom."

Paul sighed loudly as he hung up the call throwing his phone down on the dash before reaching to turn up the volume on the cd player as they slowly began to pick up a little speed.

"You know she's a nagging old soul but she means well."

Stephanie's mouth curved up gently hearing the obvious affection for his mother in the soft low tone of his voice. Paul was no doubt very fond of her and the rest of his family. And as endearing as she found that fondness, it also made her that little more nervous about meeting them. She just prayed to God she made a good impression for Paul's sake because the last thing she wanted to do was let him down this weekend.

And with that thought, her earlier worries started to creep back in full force and she couldn't control the fingers in her lap as they began to wring together anxiously, her nerves suddenly getting the better of her. Unable to switch them off, Stephanie turned her head to look out the window, not even noticing the passing scenery as she continued the rest of the journey completely lost in her own thoughts.

She only snapped out of them when twenty minutes later they finally arrived at the hotel. Her mouth twitched with a genuine smile as she saw the large, modern building in front of her. The sun shone down, reflecting off the wooden and glass structure. It looked beautiful and way grander than she had expected making it appear that she would be spending the next five days in sheer luxury.

Stephanie's face was animated as Paul pulled into the hotel guest car park. The gravel crunched underneath the tyres as he stopped the car and switched off the engine. He leant back against the seat as he turned his head to look at her, his brown eyes crinkling at the corners as he smiled at her.

"Here we are."

She nodded her head and smiled shyly in return.

"Although we could always change our minds and make a run for it."

As he lightly chuckled at his attempt at humour, Stephanie watched him closely, noticing Paul chew on his lip almost anxiously. It seemed like she wasn't the only one whose nerves had gotten the better of her and somehow it comforted her somewhat to know she wasn't alone.

Fuelled by that solidarity, she reached out and touched his hand as it rested on his denim clad leg. It was cold, like a big chunk of ice and she smiled reassuringly at him.

"We could but I don't think it would be a good idea. Not when your mom finally caught up with you."

Paul chuckled lightly. "You got that right."

But his grin faded as he turned towards the front and sighed. His brow was deeply furrowed.

"Steph, what am I doing?" he suddenly asked her.

Stephanie looked at him curiously as her hand still rested on top of his, breathing in the faint scent of his cologne. "What do you mean?"

He lifted his shoulder in a shrug and pushed his hair behind his ear before turning back to face her. "I mean this whole trying to convince people we're a couple thing. Why am I doing it? I mean, what was I thinking when I lied to my mother in the first place? It's absolutely crazy."

"Yeah but I'm sure you must have had your reasons at the time."

"I guess."

Paul sighed softly and slowly looked away as his mind reluctantly wandered to Andrea. He knew she was part of the reason for his madness. Although, really who was he kidding? If he was being honest he would confess she was the whole reason why he was doing this. But right now, that reason wasn't making any sense. He was meant to be over her. Who really cared anyway if he attended this stupid wedding alone?

But as Paul remembered the words she had hastily scribbled to him on a note inside his wedding invitation, he realised that he did care. And he probably cared a lot more than he was prepared to admit to himself.

"Paul, there's people heading our way. I think they're looking at us."

Stephanie's voice lifted him out of his funk and Paul looked out of his window seeing the two familiar faces walking towards them. They waved at him and he lifted his hand in return.

"Just great." he groaned.

He turned towards Stephanie and smiled apologetically.

"It's my parents." he explained as he sat up straight in his seat and turned towards her. He quickly cleared his throat and smiled. "I guess we're going to do this, then."

Stephanie nodded and detecting the uncertainty in Paul's voice, she squeezed his hand gently. "We'll be fine. We can pull this off."

She paused for a moment, her blue eyes searching his handsome face.

"We can, can't we? Pull this off?"

Paul's brown eyes were soft and warm as he gently squeezed her fingers. "Honestly? I don't know but I'm going to give it a damn good try."

Stephanie nodded as she absently wet her lips. "I won't let you down, Paul. I promise."

He was touched by her words and the sincerity he saw in her eyes. He lightly grazed her slender knuckles with his thumb. "Actually there was never a thought in my mind that you would."

Her pleased smile quickly lit up her face and as Paul looked into her crystal blue pools, he felt his earlier nerves start to dissipate and he grinned at her.

"So, Steph, the big question is, are you ready to do this?"

Stephanie replied with no hesitation. "I'm ready."

"Good. Then let's get this over with before my mother strains her neck trying to get a look in the car."

She laughed as Paul released her hand and opened the door. As he stepped out onto the gravel, she watched him greet his parents and she let out a slow breath. This was it. There was definitely no turning back now and as Paul's father smiled in her direction, Stephanie managed to smile back despite the knots in her stomach. She slowly got out the car and walking round, she saw Paul smile in her direction. He was holding out his hand to her almost if he sensed she needed the support and she accepted the outstretched palm gratefully. He squeezed it softly before introducing her.

"Mom, Dad, this is Stephanie."

The small, grey haired woman beamed in her direction as she held out her hand. Stephanie let go of Paul's hand and took it. She was pleasantly surprised when Patricia pulled her into a hug.

"Stephanie, it's so nice to meet you."

"You too. Paul's told me a lot about you."

Patricia looked over towards her son as she released Stephanie, raising her eyebrows in his direction. "I hope it's all been good."

Paul smirked in return as he watched his father hug Stephanie. "Of course it was. But only because I didn't want to scare her off too soon."

As Patricia playfully swatted at her son, Paul's father turned to Stephanie who had smiled gently as she felt Paul reach out and take hold of her hand again.

"You'll have to excuse my wife and my son. They bicker all the time but you get used to it."

Stephanie grinned. "I'm sure I will."

"Well we'd better get inside and grab some lunch. Lynn and Adam are waiting." Patricia announced as she gestured towards the hotel. "You can wait and bring in your bags after lunch."

"Yes Ma'am." said Paul, giving a mock salute before quickly moving out of the way as Patricia went to swat him again. "Hey. Less of the abuse, Mother. We're at a posh hotel. You need to try and behave yourself now."

He chuckled as she glared at him before taking hold of his father's arm and walking back towards the beautiful wood and glass building. He watched them for a second before following on behind them with Stephanie and turning to smile at her shyly as he lifted up their joined hands.

"This is okay, isn't it? I mean it's not too weird or anything."

Stephanie slowly shook her head. "It's not weird."

"Because if you feel uncomfortable about anything then I'd rather know." he told her momentarily stopping and letting his brown eyes scan her face carefully.

She quickly reassured him. "I don't feel uncomfortable. Not in the slightest."

"Good. I'm glad."

His gaze fell on hers and for a moment they simply stood there smiling at one another.

"Come on. Get a move on, you two."

Stephanie laughed as Paul rolled his eyes at his mother's voice. They continued to walk to the hotel and she suddenly felt disappointed when out of nowhere she felt him drop her hand. She frowned trying hard not to think about why it should bother her so much when she felt his arm wrap around her shoulder and pull her towards him. A shy grin crept across her face as their hips bumped together and her own arm slid around Paul's waist as they walked into the hotel together. There was nothing awkward about it and it didn't feel the least bit uncomfortable. In fact, it felt like the most natural thing in the world.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Stephanie twirled her pasta round on her fork as she looked around the dining table, listening to the conversation and feeling a little surprised how at ease she felt around Paul and his family. Then again, it was hard not to be. They had done everything they could to make her feel welcome. And thankfully all questions about her "relationship" with Paul had been kept to a minimum. Well so far at least. Then again, it had only been an hour since they had arrived and there was plenty of time left for an interrogation; five whole days of time by her calculation.

Stephanie chewed on her food and smiled to herself as she watched Paul interact across the table with his sister. She could tell they were close despite their constant teasing of one another. In fact their playful banter reminded her of her own relationship with her brother, Shane. 

"So, Stephanie, Paul tells us you've just finished your exams." said Patricia. 

Stephanie nodded her head as she swallowed her pasta. She tried not to feel nervous as all other conversation stopped and five pairs of eyes rested on her. As she glanced at Paul across the table, she saw him smile and wink in her direction. She immediately felt her anxiety disappear as she smiled back at him. She shifted in her seat as she turned towards his mother, her hands resting on the white linen table cloth. "Thankfully they went better than I expected." 

"What are you studying, Stephanie?" 

Stephanie looked across at Lynn. She had the same pair of warm brown eyes as her brother. "Business and economics." 

Lynn smiled and turned towards Paul. "That was the same course you took, little brother."

"Correct." 

She turned back towards Stephanie. "I'll bet he was no use helping you study though. Paul gets easily distracted. I swear my seven year old son has a better attention span than he does." 

Stephanie laughed as Paul playfully swatted his sister's arm and watched her swat him back. 

"You two had better behave yourselves!" Patricia said to them in a low, scolding tone. She turned to Stephanie and smiled. "I can't take them anywhere, you know." 

Her husband leant over to whisper in Stephanie's ear. "They take after their mother." 

"I heard that!" Patricia glared in his direction. 

Stephanie laughed and looked over to see Paul's brown eyes watching her intently. He wore a gentle expression on his handsome face and seemed to be deep in thought. As she looked back at him, she wondered what he was thinking about. Maybe he was thinking about her. The corner of her lips tugged upwards into a smile. For some reason, she suddenly wanted him to be. 

"So, Lynn, are you going to tell everyone our news?" 

His brother in law's voice got Paul's attention. He looked away from Stephanie and turned towards his sister. 

"What news?" he asked, raising his brow. 

Lynn sat back in her seat as she brushed her blonde hair behind her ear. She smiled as she glanced around the table. "Mom, Dad, little bro and Stephanie, of course." she said smiling at the brunette. "I'm pregnant." 

Stephanie watched the huge grin that crossed Paul's face. He grabbed Lynn almost crushing her in a huge bear hug. Her parents also got up from the seats and made their way over to congratulate the expectant mother and father. Stephanie watched Paul summon across a waiter and mutter something in his ear.

Patricia was beaming as she made her way back to her seat. She picked up her cloth napkin and draped it back across her leg. "When is the baby due?" 

Lynn smiled. "Late December." 

"So we might get a Christmas baby?"

"Maybe." 

Just then the waiter reappeared with a bottle of champagne resting in a bucket of ice. Paul thanked him as he placed it at the side of their table and began to pour their drinks. He quickly placed his hand over his sister's glass. "Nothing for her, thank you." 

Lynn pouted. "You know I love champagne. You did that on purpose." 

"I did not. I just thought we should celebrate your news." 

"Yeah, well you could have celebrated it with something else." 

Their father interrupted their squabbling as he lifted his glass. "Let's make a toast." 

Paul grinned as he picked up his champagne. He nudged his sister's water glass closer towards her. "Come on, Lynn. Raise your glass." 

Lynn stuck her tongue out as she picked up her water. 

"To the new baby."

"The new baby." echoed everyone else around the table. 

Stephanie smiled at Lynn shyly. "Congratulations." 

"Thank you Stephanie." 

"Well my daughter is providing me with my second grandchild" said Patricia as she twirled her champagne glass in her hand. "Maybe my son will provide me with my third." 

Paul quickly swallowed the champagne in his mouth. He began to cough and splutter as he placed the glass down on the table. Lynn grinned with amusement as she patted her brother on the back. She also noticed Stephanie had begun to find the table cloth extremely interesting. 

"Patricia, leave our son alone." 

"I was just saying Paul might be next." She looked towards Stephanie. She didn't seem put off by the fact that she was still staring at the table cloth. "What about you, dear? I would imagine you would like children at some point." 

Stephanie looked up and Paul could see the look of sheer terror on her face. Her blue eyes were almost popping out of her head. He would laugh but he wasn't finding his mother's interrogation the least bit amusing. She'd only just met Stephanie. She was shameless.

"Ma, stop it." he warned her. 

Stephanie shot Paul a grateful smile. He couldn't help but feel slightly guilty that she was in such an awkward situation in the first place. It was because of his lies that she was sitting here but there was nothing he could do. He was definitely in way too deep to even think about getting out now. He silently mouthed an apology to her over the table. 

"Yeah, Mom. You are embarrassing my baby brother." Lynn ruffled her brother's hair and chuckled as he swatted her away. She turned towards Stephanie and smiled. "You'll have to forgive my mother. She gets carried away. Adam and I were only together six months or so and she was hinting at marriage and grandchildren."

Stephanie chuckled before taking another sip of her champagne. 

"How long have you guys been dating anyway?" asked Lynn. 

Stephanie gulped her champagne. Her eyes automatically darted towards Paul as they stared at him anxiously. Sure they had spent time getting to know the little things about one another including their likes and their dislikes but as his brown eyes net hers, she realised that they had forgotten to even discuss where and how they had met. They were the important details too. She can't believe they hadn't even thought to talk about it. Her palms felt sweaty as she began to panic. What the hell was she meant to say? But her anxiety was short lived and she breathed a sigh of relief as Paul intervened. 

"We met a couple of months ago." 

"How did you meet?" 

Paul brushed his hair behind his ear as he sat back in his chair. "We were introduced through friends of mine. Jack and Emily Harris." 

Stephanie grinned at him. Paul winked in her direction. 

"I've never heard you mention a Jack or Emily Harris before." said Patricia, frowning. 

"Our son doesn't need to tell you every detail of his life, Pat." 

Paul smiled at his father gratefully. He could always rely on him to keep his mother's inquisitions to a minimum. And he noticed gratefully that the lunch plates were empty and pushed back his chair. He decided it was time to make an escape before his family continued with their questions. He loved them but they could be so damn curious at times.

"If you don't mind, I'm going to bring our bags in from the car and check in." He stood up and smiled at Stephanie. "Are you coming?" 

She nodded and walked round to join him. She smoothed down her top and smiled when she felt him take her hand in his. 

"We're going for a walk later if you and Stephanie want to join us." Patricia smiled at her son. 

Paul nodded. "We'll get settled in and catch up with you then."  
He tightened his grip on Stephanie's hand as they left the hotel dining room only feeling himself finally relax as they stepped into the foyer.

"I'm sorry about the questions." he apologised. "Lynn was right. Mom does have a tendency to get carried away." 

Stephanie shook her head and smiled at him. "Don't worry about it. I'm just glad we made it through unscathed." 

"Yeah, but it's early days yet."

Paul smiled at the blonde-haired girl behind the check-in desk. "I've got a room booked. It's for Paul Levesque."

As the girl began to process their reservation, he turned to Stephanie and smiled.

"You can check out the room while I grab the bags if you like." 

Stephanie nodded her head. 

"It's Room 233." The girl handed Paul his key card. "If you take the stairs, it's the corridor on the right." 

Paul thanked her and handed the key to Stephanie. "You go on ahead. I'll catch up with you." 

Stephanie nodded and stood as she watched him walk through the foyer. She turned towards the carpeted staircase and began to climb the stairs. The key card was clutched firmly in her hand and remembering the instructions given to Paul, she turned right. She checked the numbers on the doors. The room was the last door at the end of the corridor.

She swiped the card in the slot and opened it. She smiled as she walked into the room. It was bright and airy. A large vase of purple flowers sat in the middle of the wooden table by the open window. The curtains billowed as they blew in the gentle breeze. As she admired the tasteful décor, she suddenly became aware of the furnishings, furnishings that included just one bed; one huge king size bed sitting right in front of her.

Stephanie grimaced and swallowed hard. She bit down on her lip anxiously as she realised this was something else they hadn't even talked about. She hadn't even thought about sleeping arrangements. Paul had told her his mother had arranged the hotel. She obviously assumed they were sleeping together. She tried to look at the rest of the room but her eyes kept getting drawn back to the bed. It was a problem; a huge big king size problem. 

She was finally distracted when she heard a knock at the door. She realised it was Paul with their bags and greeted him with a smile as she let him in. He had the two large holdalls over his shoulder. Their outfits for the wedding were in his other hand. He placed them down on the bed sliding the straps of the holdalls off his shoulder before he placed them on the floor. He smiled as he looked around him throwing the car keys on the table.

"This is a nice room." he commented. 

Stephanie nodded her head. "It is. The bed is huge."

Her eyes were wide as they stared at Paul. She saw him sit down on the side of the bed. He seemed oblivious to their obvious problem as he bounced up and down on the mattress. 

"It is huge. It feels nice and soft too." 

Stephanie's hands wrung together anxiously and she licked her lips. "Yeah. Nice and soft and obviously meant for two."

She stared at him again, hoping he would understand their current dilemma. So she was relieved when she saw his eyes widen and a frown cross his face. 

"Ah!" 

Stephanie lifted her shoulder in a shrug as she gestured towards the plush covered bed. "It looks like we might have a problem." 

Paul scratched his head. His white t-shirt lifted slightly exposing his flat stomach and her eyes were drawn to the tanned skin. She felt a flush of heat rush through her body as she admired him, feeling slightly flustered.

"Don't worry about it." Paul told her as he pointed towards the small patterned sofa on the other side of the room. "I can sleep over there." 

"I can't ask you to do that." 

He smiled as he stood up gently touching her shoulder. "It's not a problem. The last thing I want is for you to feel uncomfortable." 

"Thank you." Stephanie replied, relieved. 

"Hey there's no need to thank me."

He rubbed her arm affectionately as he brushed past her before bending down and picking up his holdall. He threw it on the bed and opened it up.

"If you don't mind, I'm going to take a shower."

He pulled out a bag and a few other belongings.

"I won't be long." he told her. 

Stephanie nodded as she watched him disappear behind the bathroom door. Once it closed she flopped down on the bed and smiled contentedly as she realised Paul had been right. It was nice and soft and it felt so luxurious. But her smile faded as her hands ran over the soft lilac covers hoping he hadn't thought her rude when she had let him offer to sleep on the sofa. She just felt extremely uncomfortable sharing a bed with a man who, quite honestly, she hardly knew. Although she had to admit, she liked what little she did know about him. He seemed like a genuinely nice guy and a damn good looking one at that.

Stephanie sighed as she moved to the edge of the bed and began to absently kick her legs back and forward. Maybe that was the problem. Maybe she just didn't trust herself to sleep beside him. Because if she was totally honest with herself, she wasn't entirely sure she had totally innocent thoughts when it came to Paul Levesque. She knew she was definitely attracted to him. She'd have to be deaf, dumb and blind not to be. And she had to admit, she had liked him since the first night they had met. There was something between them that had just seemed to click. Something that made her usual inhibitions disappear around him. But that didn't mean she was going to act on her attraction. She had Ethan to think of. After all she did love him. She was sure she did. But if that was the case, why was she even sitting here thinking about lying next to Paul and feeling his arms wrapped tightly around her.

Stephanie shook her head, clearing the haze. Now she was being ridiculous. That was never going to happen. It couldn't. And besides, she was pretty sure Paul wasn't attracted to her in the slightest. He had never given any indication to make her think otherwise. This was strictly a business arrangement. They hadn't even kissed for crying out loud. Although it had crossed her mind that his lips would probably feel lovely and warm and soft against hers. They had done the time they had lightly caressed her cheek.

Sighing softly, she listened to the water run in the shower and it suddenly dawned on her that Paul was in the bathroom and he was in the bathroom completely naked. Stephanie quickly jumped off the bed. She walked across to the window trying her best to stop thinking of Paul in a state of undress. God knows it was going to be a long five days if she was going to spend her time fantasising about him. Instead she should be focusing on the fact that this was a job. A job he was paying her for.

But her focus was interrupted by the low ringing sound. She grabbed her purse that lay on the table beside Paul's keys. She fumbled around in it and quickly retrieved her cell.

"Hello?" 

"So you're still alive? He hasn't strangled you and discarded your body in some abandoned warehouse somewhere?" 

Stephanie chuckled and shook her head at her friend. "No he hasn't, Jen. I told you. Paul is not a killer." 

"You can never be too sure, you know." 

"I know, I know." she interrupted. "Ted Bundy was a nice, educated man too." 

"Yeah well sue me for being worried about my best friend." 

Stephanie smiled as she turned round and stood in front of the window. She watched as an expensive looking car pulled into the car park. "Well I promise you, you have nothing to worry about." 

"I take it he's not around right now." 

"No. The serial killer is currently taking a shower." 

"And why aren't you in there with him?" 

Stephanie snorted in surprise at that suggestion. "One minute you're telling me he's going to murder me. The next you're telling me to hop in the shower with him." 

"Well, you might as well get some action in before he goes in for the kill." 

She grinned widely as she pushed her hair behind her ear. "Believe me, that thought is tempting."

Her head turned as she heard his voice carry through from the bathroom and she let out a chuckle. 

"What's so funny there, Steph?" 

"Paul is singing in the shower."

She wrinkled her nose as she heard him try to hit a note.

"It's pretty bad actually." she said turned as she sat down on the edge of the wooden table crossing her long legs in front of her. 

"He is a gorgeous man by the way. Imagine what he would look like naked." 

"Jen!" Stephanie's eyes widened at her friend's comment. "You're not helping me here." She suddenly paused as she frowned in puzzlement. "Wait a second. How do you know what he looks like?" 

"I searched him on Google. I had to check him out for myself." 

Stephanie laughed shaking her head. 

"Steph, the man is gorgeous and rich too." 

"I know." she replied, sighing. "He's also a very nice guy."

As she glanced at the bathroom door once more, she became aware that the singing had stopped and the water had stopped running. She quickly got up from the table.

"Listen Jen, I gotta go. I'll call you later, okay?" 

"You'd better. Take care, Stephanie okay?" 

Stephanie smiled. Despite her joking around, she knew her friend was still worried about her. "I will. I promise. Bye Jen."

She hung up just as the door opened and Paul walked out of the bathroom. She could only stand there, literally frozen to the spot. Sweet Jesus! He was wearing nothing but a towel. His hair was wet and hung loosely around his face and water trickled down his muscular chest. The guy was built like a God. She honestly couldn't drag her eyes away as he rummaged through his bag. She was completely mesmerised by him. 

"I heard voices. You talking to yourself in here?" Paul smirked at her as he pulled out a black t-shirt. He shook it out and began to pull it on. 

Stephanie swallowed thickly as his actions lifted her from her haze. "My friend called." she explained to him.

She shook her head as he pulled his hair out from the neck of his shirt.

"Shouldn't you dry yourself properly before you dress?" 

Paul chuckled as he rummaged in his bag again. "You know you sound like my mother." 

He pulled out a pair of faded denim jeans. Stephanie's eyes widened. Surely he wasn't going to pull them on in front of her. He wasn't wearing any underwear under that towel, well none that she knew about anyway. She suddenly felt terribly hot. She gestured towards the bathroom as she slowly began to back away. "I'm, um, I'm just going to freshen up." 

"Okay." Paul smiled at her as she bent down and grabbed her toiletries bag from the top of her holdall on the floor. 

"I won't be long." 

"Take as long as you need." he replied.

Stephanie smiled and noticed he was about to pull on his jeans. She quickly turned around and closed the bathroom door behind her. She closed her eyes as she leant against the pine wood and let out a calming breath. Slowly her heart stopped racing and blinking heavily, she looked around herself noticing Paul's clothes lay in a heap by the shower. The scent of his shower gel filled her senses and she swore she felt her knees wobble as she breathed him in. Christ! She was going to have to get a grip if she was to survive the next five days otherwise she was going to get herself into trouble. Big, big trouble. 


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

They stepped outside into the bright evening sun and Stephanie tilted her face upwards to catch the warm rays that gently reflected off her skin. It had been a beautiful day and there was no doubt summer was definitely on its way. She looked around admiring the hotel gardens. They were filled with sunshine and the most amazing colour of flowers.

"Mom and Dad should be around here somewhere." 

Stephanie smiled in acknowledgment at Paul who was standing next to her. His blonde hair blew in the light balmy breeze and the navy shirt he wore hugged his body perfectly. He'd pulled it on just ten minutes ago after Patricia had called their room arranging to meet them in front of the hotel. Apparently they were going to drive to a local restaurant for dinner and Stephanie felt her stomach grumble in appreciation. She was famished especially after spending the better part of the afternoon in the fresh air strolling around the place.

"Are Lynn and Adam joining us?" she asked. 

Paul shook his head as he pushed back his hair from his forehead. "Lynn was tired. She was going to have a lie down." 

"That was great news about the baby, huh?" 

He nodded and grinned. "I'm over the moon. Maybe this time I'll get a niece I can spoil." 

Paul turned his head distracted as he heard the sound of gravel crunching behind them. His parents were making their way towards them and he could see his mother smiling tentatively in his direction immediately arousing his suspicions.

"What's up, Mom?"

He watched as she glanced up at his father. Now he knew there was definitely something going on.

"Mom? What is it?" he repeated impatiently. 

"Well, your Aunt Jane just called. She wants to join us for dinner." 

"So what's the problem?" he asked, his brow crinkling with his confusion. His mother didn't usually look so perturbed at spending time with her sister. 

"Paul, Nick and Andrea will be there too." 

Stephanie glanced over at Paul and saw him visibly tense as he stood there beside her. His face was expressionless but his earlier smile was gone and it was clear his good humour had certainly disappeared. 

"I'll understand if you don't want to come." Patricia said, watching her son anxiously.

Paul paused for a second licking his lips contemplatively before lifting his shoulder in a resigned shrug. "I'm going to see them at some point. I might as well get it over with." 

"You're sure?" 

"I'm sure." he nodded curtly. He reached into his pocket and threw the car keys to his father. "You guys go on ahead. We'll be there in a second." 

His parents threw him a sympathetic look as they walked over to the car. Paul turned towards Stephanie and rolled his brown eyes.

"Great!" he sighed. "This is just how I wanted to spend my evening." 

As his feet shifted in the gravel anxiously, Stephanie simply stood beside him unsure what to say or do to try and ease the situation. After all, Paul had said practically nothing about the situation with Andrea and she certainly hadn't wanted to broach the subject with him. She hadn't wanted to pry into his private life. But this was quite clearly affecting him more than he cared to let on. It had to be because she knew for a fact that Andrea was the sole reason she was here in the first place. 

"I'm sorry. I had no idea this was going to happen." Paul explained apologetically. 

Stephanie shook her head as she reached for him and took his hand in hers. It felt warm and clammy as she squeezed it reassuringly. "It's okay. It's like you said. Seeing her was bound to happen sooner or later." 

Paul nodded and glanced over her shoulder as he sighed softly. "It's just going to be really awkward. I haven't seen Nick or Andrea since I found out about them." 

As his warm brown eyes settled on hers once more, Stephanie saw the hesitancy that lingered there and she squeezed his fingers gently.

"I know it's not going to be easy but you know, you can build a situation up in your mind. You expect the worst but sometimes it doesn't turn out as bad as you think." 

As she smiled at him, Paul guessed Stephanie was probably wrong about that assumption but he was grateful to her for trying. He was grateful to her for just being here with him in the first place. 

"And I know it's not much comfort to you, but I will be there right beside you tonight." she added. 

Paul's mouth lifted in a smile as he affectionately tugged on her fingers. Somehow knowing Stephanie would be there was comforting. It was even more comforting than she probably realised. He knew there was no way he was ready to face seeing Andrea on his own. At least he didn't think he was.

Paul felt his stomach begin to knot at the prospect and he swallowed hard biting down on his lip. The thought of seeing her actually made him nervous and he wasn't entirely sure why. In fact, he was scared to even think why. 

"We should go. Your parents are waiting." 

Stephanie's voice lifted him from his haze and Paul nodded still lightly gripping her hand as they walked over to the car. But before they got there, he stopped, tugging on her slender digits to get her attention and cleared his throat. His worried brown eyes scanned her face.

"You will stop me if it looks like I'm making a total idiot of myself tonight." 

His face was so serious and Stephanie bit back her smile.

"I promise." 

"Because there's every chance I will you know." 

Her blue eyes were caring and tender as they watched him and without even thinking what she was doing, she reached up and brushed his hair behind his ear. Their eyes connected with one another and she ignored the slight skip in the beat of her heart.

"You'll do fine, Paul. Trust me." 

Stephanie walked away, releasing his hand. Paul sighed softly as he slowly followed on behind her, unconvinced. Because as much as he hoped she was right, he knew deep down she probably wouldn't be.

As he climbed in the car, he didn't notice Stephanie watching him with a concerned expression on her face; concern that didn't abate while they travelled to the restaurant so much so she almost let out a sigh of relief when they pulled into the car park. The atmosphere in the car had been tense to say the least and she was grateful it was over. It was obvious to anyone with a brain that Paul was totally preoccupied. He had been silent and withdrawn and it didn't need a genius to figure out why.

Throwing open the door, Stephanie stepped out of the car and breathed in the light, fresh air. The setting sun lit up the sky around them casting it in a warm pink glow. As she walked round to meet Paul, she saw him watching a couple in front of the small restaurant. She didn't need introductions. Everything inside her told her the couple currently fawning over one another were Nick and Andrea. Paul's stiff body language only confirmed she was right. She could see his mother's worried glance towards her son. 

"We'll see you in there." said Patricia, touching Stephanie's shoulder. She nodded and smiled as Paul's parents headed towards the restaurant. 

"Paul."

He looked over at her and offered her a weak smile as he took her hand. "I guess we should follow them inside, huh?" 

She nodded and smiled as they slowly walked towards the restaurant. Her heels clacked against the tarmac and she felt Paul grip her hand tightly as they approached the steps. The tall, slim blonde haired girl looked over in their direction. Stephanie saw the look of confusion etched on her pretty face and it was clear she was expecting Paul to be alone tonight. Well, she was very much mistaken. She was here and she was going to make sure Andrea knew that fact.

As they got a little closer, Stephanie saw the look of confusion turned into a smug smile. She felt an instant dislike for the woman watching at the top of the steps. Stephanie turned her head towards Paul. He was chewing on his bottom lip as he looked at the ground. Every part of her knew he was nervous about this. Suddenly she felt the urge to wipe that smug grin off Andrea's face.

Before she even knew what she was doing, she stopped and tugged on Paul's hand, pulling him towards her. His brow furrowed as his brown orbs looked at her inquisitively. Gut instinct had her stepping on her tiptoes and pressing her mouth against his. What she felt was so surprising and unexpected. Her chest had butterflies and her knees were trembling. A wave of pleasure tingled deliciously down her spine. Paul's lips felt so soft and warm and she could detect the faint trace of mint on his breath. Kissing him, it was almost as if she were floating.  
And then suddenly she felt his arm slide around her waist and he began to kiss her back. His lips parted as his mouth moved over hers. Suddenly all thoughts of Andrea and why she was doing this were forgotten as Stephanie felt herself get lost in his incredible kiss. Her fingers reached up to tangle in his long, blonde hair. It felt so soft against her fingertips and she moaned gently into his mouth as he pulled on her bottom lip.

Her mouth was wet and prickled with his kiss as Paul slowly pulled away. Her eyes were heavy and she swallowed thickly as she lifted her face to look at him. His look of bewilderment mirrored her own and she stood there feeling her heart race in her chest, unsure what to say.

"Paul, Stephanie. Are you coming in?" 

Patricia's voice thankfully interrupted the silence and as Stephanie glanced towards her, she noticed she was standing at the entrance alone. Andrea was gone making her wonder just how long she had been standing here and kissing Paul. 

"We should probably head inside." he suggested.

Stephanie nodded and ducking her head shyly she followed Paul inside. As they walked up the steps to the restaurant, she could still feel herself reeling in the aftermath of his kiss; a kiss that told her that she had every right to be worried earlier because she had already gotten herself into trouble. In fact she was in deep, deep trouble.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Stephanie pushed open the door and let out a slow calming breath as she felt the balmy evening air on her face. She gazed upwards. The sky was clear and black and a scattering of stars twinkled brightly from above. It was such a beautiful night and she really wished she could be out enjoying it. Instead she was stuck at a dinner table with the absolute ex from hell.

Tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, Stephanie wandered into the small enclosed garden at the front of the restaurant. Her heels clicked on the paved pathway before she sat down on the wooden bench beside a rose bush stretching her legs out in front of her. She placed her purse next to her and inhaled the soft scent of the flowers feeling the tension begin to slowly leave her body. It was such a relief to be away from the dinner table right now. The atmosphere had been stifling and if looks could kill, she was pretty sure she would be lying in a morgue right about now. She'd lost count of the number of times she'd caught Andrea glaring over in her direction and it had taken everything she had to bite her tongue. What she really wanted to do was ask the bitch what her problem was. From the brief conversation she'd had with Paul, she knew that Andrea was the one who had cheated on him causing him to end the relationship. And while it had been perfectly fine for her to agree to marry the man she cheated with, it wasn't alright for Paul to move on and find someone else.

Because it was obvious to anyone with eyes in their head that Andrea was jealous as hell. And if that had been Paul's intention by bringing her here, then it had worked for sure. Andrea was practically foaming at the mouth watching her sit with Paul.

Stephanie smiled to herself as she remembered the look on the young woman's face. Of course, it hadn't helped that she had deliberately covered his hand with hers as it rested on the table. Or that she had leant that little bit closer into him as they had shared a conversation. Paul must have sensed what she was trying to do and had decided to play along. She could still feel his touch the time he had whispered gently in her ear, affectionately tucking her hair behind it.

Stephanie sighed and absently bit down on her lip as she thought about Paul. Thankfully he didn't seem upset or awkward around her after the kiss they had shared earlier tonight. In fact, he had never even mentioned it. In a way she was a little disappointed about that. It was like the kiss between them had never happened. But it had happened and every time she had looked at him tonight, she knew she wanted it to happen again. She'd never felt so much from one kiss in her life before. And to think she'd always laughed at those fictional romance stories where the characters embrace and the fireworks supposedly go off. But now she wasn't so sure that those types of kisses didn't actually exist. All she knew is that when her lips had met Paul's, her whole body had come alive and she had found herself struggling to breathe. And what scared her the most was the fact that it had felt so right too.

Shaking that thought from her head, Stephanie reached across for her purse. She opened it up taking out her cell phone. Her manicured thumb quickly dialled the number and she flicked her hair back from her shoulder as she placed the phone to her ear. She picked a loose thread at the bottom of her black shirt as she listened to it ring before she heard the mumbled hello.

"I kissed him, Jen." she quickly blurted out.

"Who? Paul?"

"No. The other stranger I'm spending five whole days with." Stephanie replied sarcastically. "Of course it was Paul."

"Sorry but you have to forgive me for being a little slow here. I was sleeping until you called. My brain isn't quite functioning yet. Although by the time Nicole is one, I'll probably have killed any brain cells I have left by watching mind-numbing children's programmes. I spent the better part of three hours watching Sesame Street today. I counted to ten with the Count and watched Ernie play with his rubber duck in the tub."

Stephanie chuckled. She uncrossed her legs and began to make a circle in the grass with the toe of her sandal feeling the cool breeze on her bare legs. "Well we could always trade places. I'd take Ernie and his rubber duck over Andrea any day of the week."

"Who is Andrea?"

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "Don't you listen to anything I tell you? She's the bride and Paul's ex. She's also a total bitch by the way. What he saw in her, I will never know. Even her voice grates on my nerves."

"But I bet she makes up for it by being very pretty and having a great rack."

Stephanie laughed at her friend's accurate assessment. "How did you guess?"

"Men are such predictable creatures my dear. I bet Andrea flashed Paul her whiter than white smile and pushed her cleavage in his face. After that, he'd have forgotten the fact she had the personality of a dish rag."

Stephanie snorted and tucked her hair behind her ear as she brought her knees together. She hunched forward resting her arm across her lap.

"Anyway, enough about her. I want to know all about your kiss with Paul."

Stephanie let out a heavy breath down the phone, puffing out her cheeks as she did so.

"Is your blowing down the phone a good sign or a bad one?" asked Jen, chuckling.

"It's bad. Kissing Paul was wrong. I should never have done it even if it did wipe the grin off that smug bitch's face."

"So you kissed him to piss her off?"

"Yeah but I think I ended up getting more than I bargained for." Stephanie sat back up resting her back against the bench. She pushed back her hair from her forehead. "I liked kissing him, Jen."

"I don't blame you. He is pretty hot. And I bet he's a damn good kisser too."

"Jen! You're not helping me here. You're meant to be telling me I made a huge mistake."

"Steph, you made a huge mistake."

Stephanie shook her head. Her lips turned upwards into an amused smile. "I'm being serious here. I mean this is a job, for God sakes. I'm not supposed to get personally involved. What am I thinking, Jen?"

"So this is where you disappeared to."

Stephanie's breath hitched in her throat at the sound of his smooth deep voice. She whipped her head round and her blue eyes were wide as she watched Paul walk down the small path towards her. "Jen, I gotta go. I'll call you tomorrow."

She quickly hung up before she could hear her friend's protests. As she cleared her throat and tried to find her composure, she forced a smile as Paul approached the bench to sit beside her. Her hand still clutched her phone and as his shoulder rubbed against hers, she could feel his gentle heat through the material of her shirt.

"You didn't have to hang up on my account." said Paul, gesturing to her cell phone.

Stephanie shifted her position slightly to face him. His arm was slung across the back of the bench and his other hand hung between his parted thighs. His brown eyes twinkled as he smiled at her, his blonde hair tucked behind his ears. It was obvious Jen's description of "pretty hot" was an understatement. Paul was absolutely gorgeous. She swallowed thickly as she felt the heat rise to her cheeks.

"Jen had to go anyway. Nicole was crying." she lied. Stephanie wasn't prepared to admit the truth. That she had been talking about him and couldn't continue the conversation now he was here.

"Jen." Paul said, chewing on his lip thoughtfully for a second. "She's the one that thinks I'm a serial killer, right?"

Stephanie chuckled and nodded. She'd told Paul all about Jen on their walk this afternoon. She hadn't meant to divulge as much as she had especially the part about him being a killer but he had been so easy to talk to at the time and she had felt so relaxed in his company that the words had just spilled out. God, even now she could still hear his deep, sexy laughter when she had told him. He had found the whole thing extremely amusing to say the least.

"So was she checking up to make sure you were still alive?"

"Something like that." Stephanie replied as she lifted her purse that sat between them and placed her phone back it. She snapped the clasp shut and held it on her lap.

"Well I didn't mean to interrupt. I just wanted to check you were okay. You've been gone a while."

She couldn't stop the slow smile that crept across her face at that little revelation. She found it sweet that Paul wanted to check up on her.

"I thought you might have tried to escape."

Stephanie grinned and lifted her shoulder in a shrug. "What can I say? I was tempted but my heels would have killed me."

Paul grinned back making her stomach flutter strangely. Her blue eyes were concerned as she reached across and rested her hand on his thigh.

"What about you? Have you made any plans to make a run for it?"

Paul's grin faltered. He brought his hand up and rubbed at his beard. Her hand remained on his leg as he gave her a small smile. "Dinner is a bit awkward, huh?"

Stephanie nodded her head, smiling at him sympathetically. Paul hadn't spoken to Andrea all night apart from a muttered hello as they had sat down to dinner. Thankfully Paul's mother had ensured they were at opposite ends of the table. But that still hadn't stopped him from throwing occasional looks her way when her attention had been elsewhere. Stephanie had seen him watching her on more than few occasions with an unreadable expression on his face or at least it was unreadable to her anyway being that they hardly knew one another. She wasn't familiar with his mannerisms or his moods but she did know that when he looked at Andrea, he seemed preoccupied, sad even.

"I'm sorry if you feel uncomfortable. We can go back to the hotel if you like."

Stephanie quickly shook her head to reassure him. As tempting as it was to say yes to Paul's offer, the last thing she wanted to do was give Andrea the satisfaction of knowing they were leaving because of her. The bitch didn't deserve to know that Paul was obviously finding this difficult despite his best efforts to put on a brave front. Instead she would do what he had paid her to do. She was going to help show Andrea that he was over her and had moved on even though the heaviness in her heart told her that he was probably anything but.

Sighing softly, Stephanie removed her hand from Paul's leg. She clutched her purse tightly and smiled at him. "I saw cheesecake on the menu. It happens to be my favourite dessert."

"Then we have something in common. It's my favourite too." Paul stood up from the bench rubbing his palms on his jeans. He then held his hand out towards her. "You ready to go back inside?"

Stephanie nodded and took his outstretched hand as Paul helped pull her to her feet. The breeze blew her hair across her face and pushed the stray strands behind her ears. She smiled to herself as he continued to hold her hand, sliding his fingers through hers as they walked through the small garden.

"I have it on good authority that my mom thinks you're pretty wonderful by the way."

Stephanie glanced at him. Paul was smiling at her but his smile didn't quite reach his brown eyes. She squeezed his hand knowingly. "And I bet that makes you feel even guiltier about deceiving her."

Paul said nothing as he held open the restaurant door for her. However, as they walked through to the dining room, he nudged her shoulder playfully. "So you're smart as well as beautiful, huh?"

Stephanie felt herself blush as she flashed a crooked smile his way. "Smart, maybe. I'm not so sure about the beautiful part."

"Well I am. I know a beautiful woman when I see one." he replied, winking at her as they walked to their dinner table.

"There you are. We wondered where the pair of you had gotten to."

Paul looked across and smiled at his mother as he pulled out the seat for Stephanie. "We were just getting some fresh air." he told her.

As he sat down next to his date, he felt Andrea's eyes watching him from the other end of the table. He deliberately avoided looking at her as he shifted uneasily in his chair and picked up his glass of water.

"I was going to come and find you but your father stopped me. He thought you two might be having a private moment together."

Paul's eyes were wide as he glared at Patricia. She winked at him and he shook his head taking a mouthful of water. He saw Stephanie quickly pick up the menu next to him and begin to look through it. He could see the redness across her cheeks as she pored over it, chewing on the inside of her lip.

"I always think it would be nice to be young and in love again."

Paul sighed as he swallowed his drink and placed his glass down on the table. He knew his mother meant well. She'd told him at least twice in a matter of hours since she had met Stephanie how happy she was for him. She genuinely thought her son was in a relationship and in love. And unfortunately, her happiness for him only intensified his guilt.

As if she could sense what he was thinking, Stephanie looked up from the menu and placed her hand over his on the table. She squeezed it lightly. Paul smiled.

"I think so too, Pat."

Paul rolled his eyes at the sound of his Aunt Jane's voice making Stephanie quietly giggle.

"When I see Nick and Andrea together, I know they've got something really special. I'm so happy for them." she continued.

Paul saw Stephanie's smile falter and her eyes widen. He heard the table fall silent and forced a smile as he tried to ignore the unsettled feeling in the pit of his stomach. He knew everyone's eyes were on him and sympathetic glances were being thrown his way. He could feel them burning a hole into him but he didn't want anyone's sympathy especially from the very people who had betrayed him. He could handle the damn truth. Andrea was with Nick and they were getting married. She'd moved on and as far as everyone was concerned, so had he. That had been his sole reason for bringing Stephanie with him after all. There was no chance in hell he'd been coming to this wedding alone. He was sick of the sympathetic glances at every family gathering. He was sick of being "poor Paul." He wasn't going to give anyone the chance to pity him.

"You must be happy for Paul too, Patricia."

Paul glanced over at his mother who was looking back at him. He swore he could hear her cursing under her breath. His Aunt Jane was infamous for her lack of tact but it didn't bother him. So he winked at her to reassure her. His mother smiled and turned towards her sister.

"I am. And he's happy too." Paul saw her deliberately glance at Andrea. "In fact, I've never seen him happier."

Paul couldn't help but smile at her obvious dig. Both his mother and sister had become fiercely protective of him the past year. If Lynn had been here, he had no doubt she would have enjoyed his mother's jibe and probably thrown in one herself.

"Nick and I are pleased for you, Paul. Aren't we, Nick?" replied Andrea.

Nick nodded his agreement and smiled tentatively at his cousin.

Stephanie's hand fell away as for the first time that evening, Paul looked directly at the couple. He nodded and smiled in response. As his brown eyes scanned Andrea's once familiar face, he was surprised to feel a wave of regret. They could have had something amazing together. They'd had a great relationship. They'd been in love – or so he had thought. He often wondered what would have happened if he hadn't walked in on her and Nick that night. Or if he had swallowed his pride and forgiven her like she had begged him to on numerous occasions. Maybe they would still be together. And maybe it would be him standing waiting for her at the altar. Paul looked away. He shouldn't be dwelling on the past. He was sick and tired of wondering about maybe.

"You never know. It might be you two tying the knot before long."

Paul saw Stephanie fidget with her hands out of the corner of his eye. He looked across at his Aunt Jane who was grinning at them both. He smiled at her as he placed his hand over Stephanie's as they rested on her lap and held onto them stilling her movement. "To be honest, we haven't really discussed it."

He watched his aunt frown slightly. His mother smiled almost proudly as she looked over at them. "Stephanie is a student at Boston University, Jane. I'm sure she is concentrating on her degree for now."

Stephanie smiled at Patricia. And although she wasn't looking in her direction, she knew Andrea was watching her.

"What are you studying, dear?" asked Jane.

Stephanie replied sweetly. "Business and economics."

"Stephanie is taking the same course as Paul did and funnily enough it is at the same university." explained Patricia. She beamed in Paul and Stephanie's direction.

"How sweet!"

Stephanie heard the sarcastic tone in Andrea's voice but decided to ignore it. She wasn't going to rise to the bait. Instead she turned and smiled at Paul and was pleased to see him smiling back at her. She blinked as she felt a loose strand of hair in her eye. She tried to blow it away from her face unsuccessfully so she began to blink rapidly again. Of course the simple thing would be to use her hand and push the hair from her face but that wasn't an option. Paul still gripped her fingers loosely. His hand felt lovely and warm and really nice. There was no chance in hell she was letting it go.

As she tried to toss her hair from her face somehow, Stephanie watched as Paul turned round in his seat towards her. His brown eyes were gentle as he lifted his big hand towards her and she bit down on her lip shyly as he swept her hair across her forehead and from her eye. He grinned at her as she mouthed a grateful thank you and she felt her heart skip a beat when he leant across and dropped an innocent kiss in her hair.

"I'll be back in a minute." he told her.

Paul let go of her hand as he pushed back his chair and stood up. He winked as he threw his napkin on the table.

"And keep your hands off my cheesecake if it arrives."

Stephanie smiled widely as she watched him disappear in the direction of the restroom. As she turned back towards the table, she saw Andrea looking across at her. She felt a smug sense of satisfaction at the forced smile on her face as she looked away and turned towards Nick.

"Do you and Paul have any plans for tomorrow afternoon, dear?"

Stephanie smiled at Jane and shook her head. "I don't think so."

"Good. Then you can come both along to the barbecue I'm having." Jane smiled as she pushed her glasses up her nose. "I'd already asked Paul and Patricia. They're coming. So are Lynn and Adam. Pat thought you might not be able to make it. I'm so pleased you can."

As Stephanie smiled at the petite grey haired lady, she saw Patricia look apologetically in her direction and roll her eyes. She knew what Paul's mother had been trying to do. She'd been trying to save her son from yet another awkward situation with Nick and Andrea. But unfortunately, Jane was oblivious. She just wondered what Paul's reaction when be once he found out.

"Will you excuse me?"

Andrea got up from the table, her purse in her hand. Stephanie swallowed thickly as she watched her walk in the direction Paul went only a few minutes before. She'd already been to the bathroom less than half an hour ago. Unless the bitch had a severe bladder problem, then it was obvious she had gone to talk to him. Stephanie ignored the sinking feeling she could feel in her stomach. She wasn't upset about it. She couldn't be. She had no right to feel that way.

As she glanced around the table, she saw Nick looking in the same direction Andrea had left in. He'd probably figured out what his bride to be was up to. As he turned his head, his bright blue eyes met hers and he offered Stephanie a small smile. She smiled back and actually found herself feeling a little bit sorry for him. She could tell he genuinely loved Andrea. She could see it every time he had looked at her. She just hoped for his sake that Andrea felt the same way.

Thinking of Andrea, Stephanie picked up her wine. She took a large mouthful as she waited for Paul to return to the table. Thankfully she didn't have to wait long. Within a matter of seconds, she saw him make his way towards them, his tall frame standing out from the other diners. She watched his face anxiously searching for any sign of what had happened. He didn't appear to be upset or angry. Then again, he didn't exactly look happy either. He offered her a smile but said nothing as he sat down beside her. She took another drink of wine as she watched him fiddle with his fork that rested on the white tablecloth.

As the waiter arrived with dessert, Stephanie saw Andrea return to the table. She smiled at Nick and kissed him as she sat back down. Paul continued to play with his cutlery. Stephanie couldn't help but wonder if Andrea's display of affection was for his benefit. It was pretty obvious something had happened between them. She could feel the tension radiating in waves from Paul.

As she speared her cheesecake with her fork, Stephanie glanced up at Patricia. She was watching her son with a concerned expression on her face. She obviously wasn't the only one that had worked out something had gone on. God only knows what would happen at the barbecue tomorrow. She certainly wasn't looking forward to telling Paul the news, especially now. She just prayed this dinner was over soon and they could get the hell out of here. The next four days would be strained to say the least and she was just glad she wasn't personally involved. Because from what she had witnessed so far, it was going to be nothing but one huge horrible mess!

As she swallowed her cheesecake, she saw Andrea glance over at Paul once more. His head was bowed as he concentrated on his dessert pushing it aimlessly around his plate. His left hand rested on the table beside hers so Stephanie switched her fork to her other hand and deliberately slid hers over his. He turned his head as she squeezed his long fingers reassuringly. Her heart pounded in her chest as he flashed her a smile she was quickly falling in love with, a smile that caused his incredible brown eyes to crinkle at the corners. That was when Stephanie realised she was fooling nobody and that included herself. She was personally involved and probably in way over her head because the fact of the matter was she was falling for Paul. She was falling hard and she was falling fast. So things were definitely going to get messy. In fact they were going to be very messy indeed.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Paul sat on the wooden bench located in the hotel gardens. His face was tilted towards the clear, black sky and he felt somewhat invigorated as the cool breeze blew against his skin. It was beautiful out tonight and it was so peaceful too. The moon was full and he'd never seen the stars so bright and it reminded him of being back home in Nashua. The sky was never like this in Boston. Although he hadn't actually sat here like this to find out. He never had a chance to just sit and relax and look at the stars anymore. His work kept him busy and probably far too busy if he was being honest with himself. But of course he had no-one but himself to blame for that predicament. His work had become his entire life and he was the only one who had made it that way.

And at first it had been self-preservation on his part. Absorbing himself in his business had been his only way to try and forget Andrea and her betrayal. Now that business was a habit and a habit he wasn't particularly keen to break. He knew that if he did, he would only be forced to be reminded of how lonely he was and how empty his life had become.

Paul sighed as he stretched out his legs in front of him and folded his arms across his chest. The leaves rustled and whispered in the trees beside him. It was the nights that were the worst for him. Lying in bed alone made him realise just how lonely he was. It was the thing he missed most about being with Andrea. He had loved holding her at night. He loved the feel of her warm body lying next to him. It had made him feel secure and loved and he would give anything to feel that way again. He didn't enjoy being single. In fact, he hated it. He felt a rush of envy every time he saw a couple walk down the street or share an intimate glance or embrace. And he had felt that same rush of envy tonight every time he watched Andrea and Nick together. Fucking Andrea!

Paul bit down thoughtfully on the inside of his lip as he tucked a few wayward strands of hair behind his ear. To sat tonight had been awkward would be a massive understatement. In fact, it had surpassed awkward especially after Andrea had followed him to the bathroom. He just wondered what the hell the bitch was playing at. She was fucking with his head once again. Then again, he wasn't surprised. She practically had it down to an art form. She had proved that again tonight when her blue eyes had glistened with unshed tears as she had claimed that she still loved him. That she had been foolish and stupid for letting him go. It wasn't the first time he'd heard her sob story. She'd told him the exact same thing when she had begged for his forgiveness. Several times in fact. But he hadn't bought it then and he wasn't buying it now. He knew what made Andrea tick. She only wanted him now because she thought someone else had him. He'd seen the glances she'd thrown Stephanie's way across the table and he had to admit he got a smug sense of satisfaction knowing that she hated the fact he was with another woman, an extremely beautiful woman at that. But then again, he had known she would which, if he was honest with himself, was the main reason why he had brought a date. He wanted to see Andrea try to deal with the fact that she was no longer the love of his life. That he had moved on and was happy with someone else. Even if it was a lie and that someone else was a girl he hardly knew and had set him back five thousand dollars.

Paul shifted uncomfortably against the seat and his body was slumped as he let out a slow breath. The truth was Stephanie was nothing more than a business transaction, a business transaction that he couldn't stop feeling increasingly guilty about. He hated lying to his parents especially when they were so happy for him. His mother hadn't stopped gushing about Stephanie. His father had congratulated him on finding such a smart and beautiful young lady. They liked her and hell, so did he. He had from the moment he had met her. There was just something about her that made him feel at ease and it had surprised him how well they got along. Every time he held her hand it felt natural and things didn't feel forced between them. In fact, on more than a few occasions tonight he had been so focused on her that he had forgotten all about Andrea at the other end of the table. Well, temporarily for a few moments at least.

"Here's where you escaped to."

Her voice caught his attention and Paul pushed himself up the bench as he saw Stephanie walk towards him. Her face was clear in the bright moonlight and she was smiling at him as she walked gingerly towards him across the gravel. He couldn't help but admire her body in her figure hugging dress.

"I was just getting some air." he told her, clearing his throat and returning her smile.

"Well I guess I'm just returning the favour from earlier and checking to see you're okay."

Paul nodded and smiled as she sat down beside him on the bench. As he turned towards her, he couldn't help but notice her bottom lip quivering slightly. He frowned as he instantly wrapped his arm around her, his hand rubbing her shoulder gently. He could feel the small goose bumps that prickled on her soft, chilled skin. "You're freezing. We should get you inside."

"Yeah well that would be a great idea if I thought I could actually walk again." Stephanie sighed.

Paul looked at her curiously. "You can't walk?"

She quickly shook her head causing her soft hair to brush across her shoulders. "My heels are officially killing me. I don't think I can walk another step."

"Well why don't you just take them off then?" he suggested.

Paul chuckled with amusement as Stephanie threw him a glare. A glare that practically told him he was stupid for even making that suggestion.

"Hello? Have you seen the gravel all the way to the hotel entrance? Those stones are lethal. They will rip your feet to shreds."

"I didn't have you pegged for a drama queen."

"I am not a drama queen." Stephanie replied as she jabbed at his chest with her finger. Her blue eyes were wide as she pushed herself up from the bench. She hissed through her teeth as she got to her feet.

"Are you okay?" asked Paul as he stood up next to her, his concerned brown eyes watching her carefully.

"Yeah. Just remind me never to wear these things again."

Stephanie hobbled forward on her burning feet. However she screamed in surprise as she felt herself being lifted up from the ground and Paul adjusted her weight in his arms. One arm was wrapped loosely around her waist while the other rested under her legs. She smiled gratefully as his brown eyes twinkled back at her.

"I thought you could use a little help getting back inside."

Her grin widened as her arms slid loosely around his neck. "Well thank you kind sir."

"You're welcome." Paul replied, winking at her.

Stephanie let her head fall against his shoulder as he carried her back to the hotel. She was more than aware of the heat that rushed through her body at the simple contact. Her eyes closed as she relished the feel of being in his arms. Paul felt so lovely and warm. His body was firm too and she could only imagine how his skin felt. If it was anything like his hands, it would be so soft and smooth and wonderful.

Stephanie swallowed thickly at that thought and turning her head she inhaled the fresh scent of his hair. God, it smelled so good. It was taking everything she had not to run her fingers through the long blonde strands that rested against her hands, tickling her skin. Paul was just beautiful. So beautiful in fact that she got tingles up and down her spine every single time she looked at him. Stephanie let out a contented sigh as she buried her head into the crook of his neck. He quite literally took her breath away.

"You're not falling asleep on me now, are you?"

Stephanie slowly shook her head in response and felt Paul's shoulders shake with his silent laughter. She instantly felt her face flush with the heat of the lobby as they entered the hotel.

"There you are. Your father and I were just heading to bed."

Stephanie's eyes popped open and she lifted her head at the sound of Patricia's voice. She looked round to see her smiling warmly at them at the bottom of the staircase and she tried to quash her own disappointment when she felt Paul lower her to the ground. A pain instantly shot through her burning soles.

"We're going to head to bed too. If Stephanie can make it that far, that is." Paul said looking over and smiling at her. Her stomach fluttered as he slid his arm around her waist. "Her feet are sore."

Patricia smiled. "You should have a nice long soak in the bath, dear."

She leant across and kissed her son's cheek. "Goodnight honey."

She smiled at Stephanie before kissing her cheek also. "Goodnight Stephanie. And I believe this is yours."

Stephanie smiled at her bashfully as she took her purse from Patricia's hand. "Goodnight and thank you."

Patricia slapped her husband across the back. "Come on. Let's get upstairs."

"Yes, my sweet." he said playfully rolling his eyes and he lifted his hand in a wave as he followed his wife up the carpeted steps.

"Think you can make it up the stairs?" Paul asked as he turned towards her.

Stephanie nodded as she stepped away from him. "Hold this."

She handed him her purse and gripped his arm with one hand to balance herself while she removed her shoes with the other. She smiled at him as her bare feet settled into the carpet and she dangled her sandals from her finger tips. "Now I can."

"Then come on then, Miss McMahon. Let's go to bed."

Stephanie bit down on her lip as she followed him up the stairs, his hand holding onto hers loosely. For some reason, his words made her want to grin like an idiot. She was going to bed with Paul Levesque. Well, not literally, but they would be sleeping in the same room together. Of course it could have even been the same bed if she hadn't completely freaked out about the sleeping arrangements. And as she walked with him along the hotel corridor, Stephanie kicked herself for even mentioning it. Because right now, she knew she wanted nothing more than to sleep next to him. To feel his warm body as it lay next to her. To know what it felt like to have his arm brush up against her in bed. Stephanie shook her head slightly as they approached their room. Christ, now she knew she definitely had it bad thinking about it lying next to him. She could blame it on the alcohol currently flowing through her veins but she knew she would only be kidding herself. The truth was she was absolutely smitten with Paul and she just wanted to be as close to him as possible.

"Did I give you the key?"

Stephanie nodded her head as Paul dropped her hand. She leant against the wall and pointed to her purse still clutched in his hand. "It's in there."

He smiled as he handed her the purse and watched with amusement as Stephanie began to rummage through. "What the hell have you got in there, anyway? It weighs a tonne."

Stephanie smirked as she produced the key card and held it out to him. "Jen gave me an array of small weapons in case I have to kill you in your sleep."

Her reply caused him to snort with laughter as he swiped the card. "Now why doesn't that surprise me?" He opened the door and stepped aside to let her pass through. "After you, Madame."

"Why thank you sir." she replied smiling at him, her tongue poking slightly through her teeth. She walked into the room and threw her shoes down next to the small chair absently rubbing her arms as she felt the cool breeze blowing through the open window.

"Here. Let me close that for you."

Stephanie smiled as she stood aside. "You really are a gentleman, huh?"

Paul winked as he closed over the window and drew the curtains. "Was there ever any doubt?"

She shrugged her shoulders and heard him chuckle as she wandered across to the bed. She rummaged through her open suitcase that still sat on top of it and pulled out her black silk pyjamas. She lifted her head just in time to see Paul pull his shirt over his head. She swallowed thickly as she admired his muscular chest and toned stomach for the second time that day.

"Thank you for tonight." said Paul.

His words lifted her from her haze and Stephanie quickly glanced away as she pretended to still be looking through her case. The last thing she wanted was for Paul to know she was practically drooling over him.

"You're welcome. I had a nice time."

She looked up again. This time Paul was looking at her and his eyebrows were raised in her direction.

"You did?" he asked, a playful smile tugging at his lips.

Stephanie couldn't help but roll her eyes dryly and return the smile. "Yes I did minus that bitchy ex-fiancée of yours of course."

"Of course." he replied and glanced away but not before she saw his brilliant smile falter.

Stephanie silently cursed as she watched him walk towards the bathroom. Why the hell had she mentioned Andrea? Now she'd gone and put her foot in it. The alcohol had obviously loosened her tongue and she'd hurt Paul's feelings even although in her opinion, she was only telling the truth. Andrea was a bitch and that was putting it mildly. But it pained her to know that Paul was upset about it. It was clear he was still hurting and a hell of a lot more than he was letting on. She shook her head as she heard the water running behind the open door.

"Well done, Steph." she muttered to herself as she decided she had to talk to him. She was the one that had stepped out of line and she needed to apologise. Paul had paid her to do a job. He hadn't paid her for her opinion.

She knocked tentatively on the wooden door. As she walked into the bathroom, Paul was brushing his teeth. She sat down on the toilet seat and sighed as she clasped her hands in her lap and stretched her long, bare legs out in front of her. The cool tiled floor chilled her feet.

"I'm sorry." she told him.

As she looked up, she caught Paul's reflection in the mirror. He was watching her and she was relieved to see his brown eyes were gentle. She watched him slowly look away and spit into the sink. She glanced at her hands nervously as he rinsed out his mouth. The room became silent as the water stopped running and she began to bite down on her lip anxiously.

"You've got nothing to apologise for."

Stephanie slowly looked up. Paul was leaning against the sink and his hair was tucked behind his ears. His arms were folded across his bare chest and she noticed the top button was undone on his jeans which hung loosely around his hips. She swallowed hard as she felt her stomach knot with her desire for him and eventually she found her voice.

"I do, Paul. I stepped out of line. I should have never said what I did."

"Why not? It's the truth."

"Maybe but it wasn't my place to say anything." she admitted, licking her lips. "I obviously upset you and that's the last thing I want to do."

Paul shook his head as he glanced down at the floor, shifting his feet on the tiles. "You didn't upset me."

His words caused Stephanie to frown knowingly. Who on earth was he trying to kid? Even his inability to look her in the eye spoke volumes.

"Yes, I did." she said softly. "It's obvious you still care about Andrea."

Paul quickly raised his head and his brown eyes glared at her, causing her to flinch. "That's where you're wrong. I don't care about Andrea. I haven't cared about her in a long time."

He pushed himself off the sink and didn't look in Stephanie's direction as he briskly walked past her.

"It's late. I'm going to bed." he muttered as he left the bathroom.

Stephanie sighed heavily and shook her head as she sat there listening to him move around in the bedroom. Great! Now she had really put her foot in it with him. Why the hell didn't she just keep her big mouth shut? She pushed back her hair and sighed as she got up from the toilet seat. She walked into the bedroom just in time to see Paul kick his denim jeans from his feet. Her breath instantly hitched in her throat and she swore she forgot to breathe as she stood frozen to the spot. Her blue eyes were transfixed and wide until Paul turned around and caught her attention. Stephanie brought her hand to her mouth as she struggled to maintain her composure. God knows those tight black shorts left very little to the imagination and his body was simply amazing.

"Are you okay?" asked Paul, his mouth twitching at the corners.

Stephanie quickly nodded as her hand dropped to her side. She felt the heat rush to her cheeks and she was unable to look at him as she quickly brushed past him and grabbed her pyjamas that still sat on top of her suitcase.

"You know if you don't mind me saying so, you're looking a little flustered about something."

Stephanie bit down on her lip and closed her eyes in embarrassment. Now the bastard was teasing her. She could hear the playful tone in his voice and it was obvious Paul knew damn well how she was feeling. He could probably feel the heat radiating from her face too. Stephanie still refused to look at him as she pushed past him with her pyjamas in her hand and practically jumped out of her skin as she felt his arm brush against hers.

"I'm going to get ready for bed." she managed to mumble as she escaped to the bathroom.

Stephanie collapsed against the door as she shut it quickly behind her. She let out a slow, calming breath as her heart pounded wildly in her chest. This was becoming ridiculous! She really had to get a grip and stop acting like a stupid teenager with a crush. It was only Paul through there and she had to remember that he was her employer; an employer and a guy who had paid her an obscene amount of money to be here with him. And the guy that definitely had the hottest body she had ever seen in her life.

Stephanie sighed with her dismay as she walked towards the mirror and looked at the red, flushed face staring back at her. God, she wanted him. She wanted him more than she had ever wanted anyone in her life, even Ethan.

Stephanie felt the knot of guilt in her chest as she glanced away and leant her hands on the sink. She finally allowed herself to think about the boy she had left behind in Boston. The boy she was in love with or so she had thought until she had met a man who had totally blown her world apart. Paul had made her forget Ethan so much so that up until now she had allowed herself to pretend he didn't exist. It was so easy especially when she was spending every single minute with Paul. He was the man who had, without warning, crept into her heart. He was the man who she was falling in love with. And he was the man whose heart seemed to belong with someone else.

Stephanie sighed sadly at that thought and pushed herself away from off the sink. She slowly began to get ready for bed. She yawned as she felt the tiredness creep into her body. It had been a long day. She would be glad to get some sleep. That's if she could sleep with Paul being in such close proximity to her. She bundled her clothes in her arm as she opened the door. As she made her way into the bedroom, she noticed the covers were turned down on the bed. Her suitcase was in the corner on the floor. As she looked to the left, she saw Paul sitting up on the sofa with a blanket across his legs. She smiled at him tentatively as she passed him.

"I hope you don't mind but I pinched a pillow from the bed."

Stephanie placed her dirty clothes on the top of the case and adjusted the thin strap on her pyjama top. She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear as she looked across the room at Paul. She instantly frowned seeing how massive he looked on the tiny sofa. There was no chance in hell he could sleep on that thing. She swallowed thickly and her stomach fluttered as she gestured towards the bed. "Well you should put it right back where you got it."

She saw his brow instantly furrow in confusion and smiled as she wrapped her arms around herself. "You're sleeping in the bed, Paul. I can take the sofa."

Paul shook his head. "Absolutely not. You're not sleeping on this."

"Well neither are you." Her smile widened. "Look at the size of you compared to it. Your legs will be practically wrapped around your neck."

"Well I'll admit it's not exactly the most comfortable thing I've ever slept on. In fact, I think it's even worse than the bed I had when I went on the camping trip from hell."

Stephanie raised her eyebrows intrigued by his comment. Paul immediately shook his head.

"Oh trust me. You don't want to know."

"It was that traumatic, huh?"

"Yep. Just the word camping gives me a shiver down my spine."

Stephanie burst into laughter. "Then I can't make you relive that trauma. Get in the bed." she instructed pointing at it.

Paul looked at her for a moment, chewed his lip in silent contemplation.

"I will but only on one condition. We share it."

He stood up taking the blanket with him and lifted his shoulder in an explanatory shrug.

"The bed is big enough for both of us. It makes sense."

Stephanie ignored the mad fluttering in her chest as she agreed. "I guess so."

She licked her lips as she glanced towards the bed.

"Which side is yours?"

"Whatever side isn't yours."

She nodded and crawled into the left hand side of the bed. Paul dropped the blanket on the bottom of the covers as he climbed in next to her and she could feel the bed shift underneath his weight.

"You should be warned though I may hog the bed." Paul said flashing her a grin as he pulled the covers around him. "I haven't shared in a while. You may need to give me a kick."

Stephanie smiled as she rested her head on the soft pillows. She had a feeling that if Paul accidentally rolled on top of her, the last thing she would be doing was kicking him off. As he switched off the light, she settled down underneath the covers. Her eyes tried to adjust to the darkness as she lay on her side watching him. Her stomach was in tiny knots at the simple act of lying beside him and she knew she probably wouldn't get a wink of sleep tonight. Paul's soft sigh echoed around the four walls as he settled down in bed. He was lying facing her and she could detect the faint trace of mint on his breath. She could faintly make out his handsome face in the shadows.

"So, it's the barbecue tomorrow." he said softly.

Stephanie pressed her lips together in a sympathetic smile. She instinctively reached out and touched his arm. "Will you be okay?"

"Yeah."

She rolled her lips together thoughtfully and her hand remained on his arm reluctant to remove it. "Paul, I'm sorry about earlier. You know, in the bathroom…………"

Her voice trailed away as her hand fell to the covers in a soft thud.

"It's okay. I over-reacted. I guess just seeing them together brings it all back, you know."

Stephanie was silent as she listened to Paul's light breathing and waited patiently for him to continue. She wasn't going to push it. God knows, she'd said enough tonight as it was.

"I haven't seen Nick or Andrea since….well, since the night I found them together. I'll admit it was harder than I thought it would be but you know what? It wasn't as devastating as I thought either."

"But that's a good thing, right?"

"Yeah. It definitely is." he agreed as he shifted beside her.

Stephanie could feel his warm breath on her face now which meant he was closer. She just wondered if it was close enough for Paul to hear her heart beating wildly in her chest.

"I want to thank you." he said unexpectedly.

She swallowed thickly as she felt his hand rest gently on top of hers on the covers. "What for?"

"For making this so much easier than I thought it would be."

A small smile tugged at her lips. "You're welcome."

She noticed her hand felt cold as he lifted his away and almost stopped breathing when his fingers lightly brushed through her hair.

"Goodnight Stephanie." he whispered.

She had opened her mouth to say those words right back but before she could, Paul had silenced her when his lips found hers in the darkness. They brushed against hers ever so softly and lingered for a second before he pulled away, the mattress shifting underneath her as he rolled onto his back. Stephanie's tongue flicked out to taste his kiss as she lay next to him, stunned yet pleasantly surprised. He had kissed her. Paul had actually gone and kissed her.

As she lifted her fingers to trace her lips, Stephanie closed her eyes and smiled. Maybe she was wrong. Maybe Paul's heart didn't entirely belong to Andrea. Maybe it was just having trouble letting go of the past, a past she could help him forget. A warm feeling encompassed her as her heavy eyes surprisingly began to gently close.

"Goodnight Paul." she hushed as she began to drift off to sleep.

Her soft, even breathing gently filled the room as Paul lay still, his eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. Inside he was trying to figure out what the hell had just happened. He had kissed Stephanie and he had kissed her for no apparent reason. They were all alone right now. They weren't putting on a show for anyone. He had overstepped the line big time and he was probably lucky Stephanie didn't smack him right in the face. Fuck! He had to get control of himself. He couldn't let anything like this happen again.

But as Paul turned his head to look at her through the dark shadows, he realised that he wasn't sure how easy it would be. He had enjoyed the kiss. He had also enjoyed their kiss outside the restaurant so much so he was lying here right now thinking about kissing her again.

Sighing softly, Paul looked away and stared at the ceiling again as he tried not to think about what it meant. God knows he was already becoming confused about his feelings for Andrea. The least thing he needed was to develop feelings for Stephanie and confuse his life even further. After all, she was strictly a business arrangement. It would never be anything more.

But as Paul lay there listening to the soothing lull of Stephanie's breathing, he knew he was kidding himself. His heart was racing right now and he was acutely aware of her overwhelming presence in the bed next to him. His stomach was also churning oddly. There was definitely something more than a business arrangement happening between them, at least on his part anyway. The only trouble was he wasn't so sure he wanted there to be. He was scared, scared of these weird feelings and scared of what Stephanie could do to him if God help him, he ever let her in.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"Are you okay over here?"

Paul nodded as he swallowed the food in his mouth. Placing his empty plate down on the table beside him, he turned to face his sister. Her brown eyes watched him concerned as she licked the mayonnaise from her fingers and balanced her plate of chicken and bread in her left hand. The size of the contents made him smile with amusement. His sister had practically the entire bird on her plate and it appeared earlier morning sickness certainly hadn't affected her appetite. It was at least her second helping. Chuckling to himself, Paul tucked his hair behind his ear as the sound of laughter came from the bottom of the garden.

"Personally, I could throttle Andrea." hissed Lynn. "I mean look at her."

Paul let his gaze drift over towards the porch by the large red brick house. Andrea was sitting on the steps with Nick and her head was thrown back in laughter. He lightly shuddered at the sound. Her laughter always did grate on his nerves. It was so high pitched and false but then that was Andrea. He took a sip of beer from the bottle in his hand and turned his attention back to his sister.

"She's acting like butter wouldn't melt when everyone knows that she's nothing but a cheating, lying……"

Paul nudged his sister in the rib with his elbow halting her tirade. As Lynn glared at him, he smiled sweetly at his Aunt Jane who was walking towards them waving her empty wine glass in her hand.

"Are you two enjoying yourselves? Have you both got plenty to eat?" she slurred.

Paul nodded his head and stepped aside as Jane smiled and reached past him to grab the bottle of wine that sat upon the long wooden table. He smirked at his sister and she snickered quietly back. His aunt was definitely tipsy. But then again that was nothing new. She always did enjoy a tipple at any family gathering they went to.

"I think Nick and your Uncle John were looking to play a game of ball once everyone has eaten. Are you up for it, Paul?"

"Sure." he replied smiling at Jane.

"Good." Her small fat hand patted his arm affectionately. "Maybe you could get that girlfriend of yours to join you."

She paused and her blue eyes were confused as she looked at her nephew.

"What is her name again? I've forgotten."

Paul saw Lynn roll her eyes behind Jane as she chewed on a piece of bread. His mother's sister still frequently forgot Adam's name even after eight years of marriage.

"It's Stephanie." he reminded her.

"Stephanie. That's it." She clicked her chubby fingers in delight as she smiled. "She's such a sweet girl. Your Uncle John is quite taken with her."

Paul was sorely tempted to make a comment about yet another member of the Harris family taking a fancy to his girl but he decided against it. Instead he looked over towards the other end of the garden where Stephanie was standing talking with his father and his uncle. The corner of his lips tugged upwards into a smile as he watched her from afar and it struck him that there was something especially beautiful about her today. He wasn't sure what it was. Maybe it was the way her hair fell in loose soft curls across her shoulders or maybe it was the fact that he could still remember how good it felt to have her lying beside him in bed this morning.

He'd been the first one to waken up and had immediately felt the weight of her arm across his stomach. He had smiled to himself and gently shifted onto his side to watch her. Her lips had been slightly parted. The pink hue from the rising sun had fallen softly across her face. He hadn't been able to resist reaching out and touching her as the sound of her light steady breathing filled the silent room. His fingers had barely touched her skin as they trailed across her cheek. He could still remember how soft and warm her skin was. Stephanie had looked so peaceful in her slumber and he swore she had looked like an angel.

"Hey, Romeo!"

Paul felt a light smack to the back of his head. He turned around and scowled at Lynn who was grinning widely at him.

"If you can drag your eyes away from Stephanie for a second, Mom is shouting on you. She needs your help in the garage." she said her eyes twinkling with amusement.

"And why can't you help her? You too busy stuffing your face?" taunted Paul right back.

"No smartass. She needs another table carried out. The next door neighbours have invited themselves along. She needs a big oaf like you to do it."

Paul's hand hugged his stomach as he laughed sarcastically and lightly muttered as he wandered towards the house. Lynn chuckled as she picked up a leg of chicken and gazed towards the garden. Her curiosity was immediately piqued when she saw Andrea wander casually in Stephanie's direction and she immediately dropped the chicken back on the plate. The bitch was up to something. She could see it in her face and recognised that smug expression a mile away. God knows, she'd seen it plenty of times before.

Lightly frowning, Lynn placed her plate down on the table behind her. As she wiped the back of her hand across her hot forehead, her eyes watched Andrea carefully. She was definitely going to be keeping an eye on her. One wrong move towards Stephanie and she was going after her.

"Andrea! How nice of you to join us."

Stephanie froze as John greeted his soon-to-be daughter-in-law. She took a mouthful of wine and tried to avoid looking in her direction as she shifted her feet uncomfortably in the grass. She'd successfully managed to stay away from Andrea for the better part of the afternoon. She'd stuck by Paul's side until he'd left for some more food a little while ago but unfortunately it looked like her luck had just run out. As Stephanie swallowed her drink, her eyes met Paul's fathers'. She pressed her lips together and smiled as he threw a sympathetic look her way.

"Have you enjoyed the barbecue so far?"

"Yeah, it's been great. The weather is just fantastic." replied Andrea.

Stephanie clenched her jaw tightly as she tried to zone her out. She swirled the clear liquid around in her glass and her eyes focused on a clump of daisies on the grass. Andrea's voice irritated the hell out of her. It was so goddamn whiny. It reminded her of a screeching cat. How on earth Paul had tolerated it, she would never know. It must have driven him absolutely crazy.

"Actually if you guys don't mind, I came over to have a chat with Stephanie. We haven't really had to chance to talk yet. I thought now would be a good time to break the ice."

Taken aback, Stephanie lifted her head slowly feeling everyone's eyes upon her. The first thing she saw was the false smile plastered across Andrea's face. Her fingers gripped her wine glass a little more tightly as she forced a similar smile. God, the bitch was so fake she was practically plastic.

"Well, Paul and I will leave you to it." John looked at his brother-in-law as he slapped him across the shoulders. "Let's go and round up the boys and get this ball game under way."

Stephanie swallowed thickly as she watched John guide them towards the red brick house. For some reason her palms felt ridiculously clammy. She rubbed her right hand against her skirt as her eyes glanced towards the food table searching hopefully for Paul.

"He's not there. He disappeared into the house a few minutes ago."

Stephanie slowly turned her gaze towards her. Her normally gentle blue eyes were guarded and hard. She saw the almost arrogant expression on Andrea's pretty face and her fist curled in a reflexive clench. She was tempted to smack it right from her. Instead she took another gulp of wine. If there truly was a God, she would get loaded pretty quickly.

"The two of you seem pretty cosy together."

Stephanie snorted at Andrea's comment, wrinkling her nose in disgust. "I'm pretty sure you didn't come all the way over here to compliment me on how cosy Paul and I are. So why don't you tell me the real reason why you're here, Andrea?" 

The small blonde licked her lips. Her grey eyes glared at Stephanie. "I just wanted to let you know that I'm on to you. I know exactly what you are."

"You know what I am, huh? Care to tell me exactly what that is?" 

"You're a gold digger, Stephanie. Paul's a very wealthy man. You're only after him to see what you can get out of him." 

Stephanie let out a guffaw as she felt her blood begin to boil with her anger. This bitch had a real nerve. She obviously thought she was something passing judgement on everyone else. Placed her hand on her hip, Stephanie glared back at her. "See that's where you're wrong. I'm not with Paul for his money. I'm with him because I'm in love him."

And as her words carried in the breeze, Stephanie realised that there was probably more truth to that statement than she would allow herself to believe. 

"Please!" Andrea snorted. "How old are you? Twenty? Honey, you don't know the meaning of the word love." 

"Oh trust me, I do." replied Stephanie. She took a few steps closer to Andrea. She could smell her strong and overbearing scent. It caught in the back of her throat and she fought the urge to gag.

"Every time I look at Paul or feel his lips upon mine I know exactly what love is. What we have is real, Andrea. If you don't believe it, quite frankly I don't give a damn." 

Andrea snorted. She still wore the smug arrogant look upon her face. "That's not love. That's infatuation, honey. That feeling won't last. Neither will you and Paul." 

Stephanie gritted her teeth as she tried to maintain her composure. Inside, she was itching to slap the bitch for her matter of fact attitude. She was so angry but not angry enough not to realise that there was a huge chunk of truth to what Andrea was saying. Being with Paul wouldn't last. What they had wasn't real. Despite her feelings for him, they were nothing more than a business arrangement and the clock was even ticking on that one. She had four days left and counting. But right now, that was the last thing she wanted to dwell on.

"Thanks for your opinion but for the record, it doesn't mean a damn to me." she replied. 

"It should." said Andrea. "Because it is the truth. Paul is going to see you for what you truly are. A young girl with a silly crush who is looking to get a free meal ticket until she can finish up her Ivy League college education."

"You know what? You can think what the hell you like Andrea. It doesn't matter to me. I know how I feel about Paul and I know how he feels about me. And that's what is eating you up inside isn't it?"

Stephanie paused and her lips curled up in satisfaction as she took a few steps closer. Her blue eyes were wide with her glare.

"You can't handle the fact that Paul has moved on. That he's found someone else who loves him and treats him the way he deserves to be treated. God knows, that's something you never did." 

Andrea dropped her hands to her sides and snorted loudly in retort. "Maybe I did treat him badly. Maybe I did break his heart. But you know something, Stephanie?" she said, practically spitting her name. "You were wrong when you said Paul had moved on because quite frankly, I'm not sure he has." 

"Andie? Your mom is on the phone." 

Nick's voice interrupted their conversation. As Andrea stepped back, she plastered yet another false smile on her face as her fiance came striding towards them. 

"Hey, Stephanie." he said, acknowledging her and she noticed his brown eyes were warm and friendly.

"Hey" she replied forcing a smile. 

"Sorry for interrupting your conversation guys but she's calling from the airport." He smiled at Andrea. "She says she wants to talk to you before she arrives in the morning." 

Andrea turned towards him. She reached up and her long fingers played with the collar of his black shirt. "It's okay, baby. Stephanie and I have finished our chat."

Without once looking in her direction, Andrea took Nick's hand and tugged on it. "Come on. I'd better take that call." 

Nick smiled almost apologetically as he followed behind Andrea and Stephanie shook her head in disbelief as she watched them walk back towards the house. The bitch had even more nerve than she had thought possible. Looking around her, she sighed heavily and her mind was pre-occupied as she walked slowly towards the bottom of the garden and sat down on the lawn. Nursing her drink in her hand, Stephanie rested her back against the large oak tree that whispered above her. The short grass tickled her bare legs and the light breeze blew loose strands of hair across her face. She lifted her hand and tucked them behind her ear and she became so lost in her thoughts that she didn't know how long she had been sitting there when she heard her voice.

"Here you are."

Stephanie lifted her head and smiled as she saw Lynn walking towards her. Her face looked flushed and tired and she'd scraped her blonde locks back into a ponytail. The hot sun was obviously taking its toll on her.

"I've been looking for you everywhere."

"Well, here I am." Stephanie said, sighing softly before lifting the glass in her hand and taking a mouthful of wine. She shifted on the grass and adjusted her denim skirt across her thighs before wrapping her left arm loosely around herself.

"I hope you're not hiding out here because of what Andrea said to you."

Stephanie brow crinkled with her surprise as she looked up in Lynn's direction. She hadn't realised she had overheard the conversation.

"Because I wouldn't give her the satisfaction. She's nothing but a spiteful jealous bitch." Lynn puffed heavily as she lowered herself down and sat beside Stephanie brushing away a tiny insect that had settled on her arm. "It's nice and cool here. Thank God."

She exhaled a laboured breath before nudging Stephanie playfully with her shoulder.

"I couldn't have a tiny sip of your wine, could I? I've been dying for one all afternoon but both Mom and Paul have been watching me like a hawk. I tried to tell them one little drink wouldn't do me any harm but they weren't having it."

Stephanie chuckled as she passed Lynn the half full glass. She watched her take a small mouthful and close her eyes as she swallowed the liquid.

"That's damn good wine." She opened her eyes and grinned at Stephanie as she passed her back the glass. "When I was pregnant with Pete, I couldn't go near the stuff. The smell made me feel sick." She patted her perfectly toned stomach through the loose shirt. "With this little one, I could probably drink it by the bottle if I was allowed to."

Stephanie laughed as she settled back against the tree. Just then the familiar sound of his deep laughter caught her attention. She bit down on her lip as she watched Paul jog backwards across the garden and throw the baseball towards his father. He then stopped and adjusted the black cap he now wore backwards on the top of his head.

"He'd throttle Andrea if he knew what she had said to you."

Stephanie glanced away from Paul lifting her shoulders in a shrug as her long manicured finger began to lightly trace the rim of the wine glass. "Honestly, it doesn't matter."

"Of course it matters. If she thinks she can go around threatening you and insulting you she's got another thing coming." Lynn shook her head as she looked over at her brother. Her ponytail bounced softly on the top of her head. "You know she can't stand the fact that Paul has moved on and is really happy. It's killing her to watch you with him. Well, it damn well serves her right. She was the one who screwed around on him."

Stephanie couldn't help but smile to herself. Lynn certainly wasn't holding back on her former friend. She was very protective of her brother and rightfully so. She was sure she would be the same if it was Shane who had been cheated on and she was right. Andrea had no-one else but herself to blame for losing Paul.

"Uh oh. You've been spotted."

Stephanie looked up to see Paul walking in their direction. She couldn't help the small smile that traced her lips as she watched him whistle whilst juggling the baseball in his hands.

"You do know he's going to try and rope you into a game of ball."

"You think so?" Stephanie took a small sip of wine as her eyes remained firmly on Paul.

"Yep. I can see that little persuasive glint in his eye from here. You do know he won't take no for an answer."

Stephanie chuckled lightly. She didn't add that she probably wouldn't put up much of a fight. She was pretty sure she wouldn't be able to refuse him anything he asked. A branch snapped underfoot as Paul came to stand in front of them. As the breeze blew, she caught the faint scent of his cologne and she breathed it in. God, he smelt incredible.

"And what are you two ladies up to?" he asked as he knelt down in the grass in front of them. He absently threw the ball in the air catching it in his hand.

"Oh nothing. We were just talking about you little brother." teased Lynn as she crossed her legs over in front of her dusting the grass from her long white shorts.

Paul frowned as he looked between the two women. His brown eyes twinkled as they settled on Stephanie and he winked at her. "Don't believe anything she told you. It's all a pack of lies."

Stephanie laughed as Lynn's foot shot out playfully kicking her brother.

"Hey. Less of the violence." said Paul as his hand lightly slapped his sister's leg.

"Or what? Are you going to go crying to Mom?" Lynn's smile was wide as she turned towards Stephanie. "He used to do that when he was little, you know. I'd say or do something he didn't like and he'd rat me out to Mom."

"Liar!"

"I am not."

Paul shook his head as he looked at Stephanie and he couldn't help but notice how brightly her big blue eyes sparkled as she laughed. "She's full of crap." he told her.

"Just ask Mom, Stephanie. She'll tell you the truth."

He rolled his eyes dryly before playfully swatting at his sister. She laughed and stuck out her tongue. "I'm sure Steph would rather come and play a game of ball with me instead." he said.

Lynn discreetly nudged Stephanie and threw her a knowing look.

"So what do you say, Steph? You up for a game?" asked Paul, smiling at her.

Stephanie smiled in return as she lightly shrugged her shoulders. She puffed lightly and blew her hair out from her eyes. "I don't know. I think I'd rather sit here with my glass of wine and just watch the game with Lynn."

"Aw, come on, Steph. You have to play." Paul's brown eyes were wide as they pleaded with her. "I need you on our team."

"Is bitch-face playing?" asked Lynn.

His brow crinkled with his frown as he looked disapprovingly at his sister.

"What? She is a bitch. You should hear what she said to Stephanie earlier on."

Stephanie's mouth parted in alarm as Paul quickly turned and looked at her with a concerned expression on his face.

"She said something to you?"

She didn't reply as she pushed herself to her feet. She smoothed down her skirt with her hand and as she raised her head, she saw Paul had gotten to his feet too. She drew a circle on the grass with her sandal as he continued to watch her.

"Steph, what did she say?"

Stephanie pressed her lips together in a tight smile. "It doesn't matter. It was nothing I couldn't handle."

She saw the worried frown on Paul's face and not wanting to discuss it any further, she held out her hand towards him and forced a smile. Lynn was right. She shouldn't give Andrea the satisfaction of getting to her, not when having fun with Paul would rub her face in it even more.

"Come on. Let's go and play some ball." she smiled.

Paul said nothing as he took her hand in his and his skin felt warm and clammy.

"Hey, Steph. If you happen to hit a ball in Andrea's direction, make sure it connects with her face." said Lynn.

Paul glared at her but there was no mistaking the twinkle of amusement in his eye. He chuckled lightly as he shook his head.

Stephanie winked at Lynn as she bent down and handed her the quarter full wine glass. "Will you look after this for me?"

Lynn beamed widely as she nodded and took the drink.

"Hey. That wine had better be here when we get back." said Paul as he pointed in her direction.

She stuck out her tongue. "Just go play ball, little brother."

Paul squeezed Stephanie's hand as they walked in the direction of the small group gathered on the lawn. Their arms swung back and forth as their shoulders brushed lightly together. "I'm sorry if Andrea upset you earlier."

Stephanie shook her head as they walked across the grass and gave him a reassuring smile. The sky was so clear and blue above and she could feel the hot rays from the sun against her face. "Like I said, it was nothing I couldn't handle."

"But she had no right to do that to you." he replied, clenching his teeth angrily as he glared in Andrea's direction. He couldn't believe she had deliberately upset Stephanie. She was the innocent one in all of this. She didn't deserve to put up with her crap and why the hell had Andrea started on her anyway? Lynn was right. She was a bitch. A vindictive bitch that had to learn to keep her mouth shut especially when it involved someone he genuinely cared about.

"You know I've a good mind to ask her what the hell she is playing at."

Stephanie sighed heavily and stopped in her tracks. She tugged on Paul's hand and brought him to stand just in front of her. Her blue eyes were wide as they scanned his face. "Just leave it, Paul. Please?"

"But Steph……"

She placed her finger over his lips silencing him. "For me?"

Paul's broad shoulders rose and fell with his resigned sigh. As her hand fell away, he licked his lips and slowly nodded his head.

"Good." she said as her thumb traced over his knuckle and she smiled softly at him. "Now let's go and kick some ass out there."

A slow grin crept across his face. "Those are fighting words McMahon."

"Well Levesque, I hate to lose." she said, grinning back.

Her gaze drifted and Stephanie glanced briefly over Paul's shoulder. She couldn't help but notice Andrea look over in their direction. Even from a distance, she could see the annoyed look upon her face, a look which she took immense pleasure from. And without a second thought, Stephanie reached up and pressed her lips against Paul's. Her eyes closed as she relished the feel of his hot mouth on hers and suddenly all thoughts of Andrea were forgotten as she got lost in Paul. Kissing him felt so good and so right. She never wanted to stop but she knew that unfortunately she had to. After all, none of this was real.

But as she went to pull away, she was surprised to feel Paul's hand on her hip pulling her back towards him. Her heart raced in her chest as she felt his mouth open and he deepened the kiss. Stephanie slid her arm around his waist, her fingers gripping the cotton material of his shirt. She could feel the gentle heat of his skin underneath it and the hard muscles across his back. A soft moan escaped from her throat as Paul's tongue teased her bottom lip and she opened her mouth wider. Her body throbbed as their tongues brushed together. God, she wanted this kiss so badly. She wanted him.

"Paul, put her down man and come and play ball."

The loud shout startled them, breaking the kiss. Slowly Paul pulled away and Stephanie's eyes fluttered open. He was watching her. The expression in his brown eyes was mysterious yet tender.

"We'd better get over there." he said softly.

Stephanie nodded as she licked her lips. Her mouth was wet, her head was spinning and she was still reeling from his kiss yet somehow she found enough composure to follow him across the lawn. Although that composure was shaken again when Paul laced his fingers through hers and brought their joined hands to his mouth kissing her knuckles softly. A slow, happy smile traced Stephanie's lips as she leant her head gently against his shoulder. Every part of her was screaming to her that this was so right, that this was exactly where she belonged, with Paul.

Stephanie quickly shoved a fleeting thought of Ethan from her mind. As they approached the small group in front of them, she met Andrea's stare. She was holding Nick's hand and there was no mistaking the hatred in her cold grey eyes. Stephanie gripped Paul's hand a little tighter and she felt him drop a soft kiss against her temple. Her smile widened as a tiny part of her dared to believe that Paul felt something for her. Or at the very least he was attracted to her. He'd kissed her in bed last night and there was the way he had kissed her just now. It had been urgent and passionate. It gave her hope that this was more than a business arrangement between them. And if it was, then Andrea had a fight on her hands because there was no doubt in her mind that the bitch wanted Paul back. Well, there was no chance in hell that was going to happen. Not if she had anything to do with it because would do whatever it took to keep Paul out of Andrea's clutches.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"Why the hell did you say that to Stephanie?"

Andrea jumped, startled by the voice behind her. The glass tumbler she was holding fell from her hand and smashed on the kitchen floor causing the clear liquid to splash against her feet and begin to creep along the cracks of the terracotta tiles. Her top lip curled into an ugly snarl as she spun round on her heels to face him.

"You fucking idiot! That was a piece of Jane's good crystal, you know."

Paul snorted as crossed his thick arms in front of him. His brown eyes glared at her from across the room. "Don't try and pretend you give a fuck. If you did you'd be drinking out of plastic tumblers like the rest of us. But oh no, that's not good enough for you. You always were a fucking snob."

Andrea placed her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes. Her small nostrils flared as she lifted her chin indignantly. "If you just came here to insult me, you can turn around and leave. I'm not in the mood."

"Trust me, I've got better things to do with my time than waste it on throwing insults at you however pleasurable it may be."

"Then why are you here, Paul?"

"I told you. I want to know why the hell you upset Steph."

Andrea snorted as she stepped over the broken glass and opened the kitchen display cabinet. She took out another crystal tumbler and carried it across to the chipped wooden table.

"Your little girlfriend has obviously been telling tales."

She picked up a bottle of vodka and began to unscrew the cap.

"Steph never said a word." said Paul as he watched Andrea pour herself a large drink.

The faint sound of laughter filtered through from the garden and he was glad someone was managing to enjoy their selves. He sure as hell wasn't. Being alone with Andrea wasn't exactly his idea of fun but when Lynn had pulled him aside and told him what she had overheard her say to Stephanie, he'd been so angry he'd just wanted to rip her damn head off there and then. Of course he hadn't been able to. She'd been permanently attached to Nick's lips for the past hour. Not that he gave a fuck. Nick was more than welcome to her. As far as he was concerned, the pair of them deserved one another and he was well shot of her.

"Then why are you under the impression I upset her?" asked Andrea before sipping at her drink.

Paul's hands dropped to his sides. He shook his head as he took a couple of steps closer towards her. "Cut the crap and just tell me why you said those things to her."

"Because it's the truth." she spat. "Stephanie is nothing more than a little gold digger, Paul. She's only with you because of what she can get from you."

His brown eyes flashed angrily at her as his fists hung, clenched tightly at his sides. "And what the fuck does it matter to you if she is?"

"Because I care about you." replied Andrea. "I just don't want to see you get hurt."

Paul instantly snorted as his sarcastic laughter filled the room. Andrea shifted her feet uncomfortably as he sneered at her. His brown eyes were cold and hard and the love she had once seen there had been replaced with hatred. Hatred for her and hatred for what she had done.

"What? Like you hurt me by screwing around behind my back?"

"I've told you I was sorry like a million times."

"Sure. You're that sorry you're only going to go and marry the guy."

Andrea placed her glass down on the table. She pressed her lips together as her eyes scanned his handsome face. "I won't if you don't want me to." she said simply.

"What?" Paul's brown eyes were wide as he stared at her incredulously. She really was a piece of work and swore she enjoyed fucking with his mind. The bitch had cheated on him with his cousin. Did she honestly think he would take her back? Maybe the thought had crossed his mind once upon a time but not now. Not when he was over her. And he was over her. He was.

But Andrea placed her hand on his arm and he looked into her familiar grey eyes, he felt a pang of regret for what they could have had. Once upon a time they had been so good together. He would have given her the world. Suddenly he wasn't so sure what he was feeling.

"I still love you, Paul." she whispered as she brought her face slowly towards him.

Paul swallowed thickly as her words rang in his ears. They were the same words she had told him yesterday at the restaurant. They were the same words she had hastily scribbled at the bottom of the note in his wedding invitation. And if he was honest with himself, that note was probably the reason why he had come here. He was sick and tired of it all. It was time to put an end to this game she was playing.

Paul licked his lips as her mouth moved towards his. He should stop this. He really should. The problem was he wasn't sure if he wanted to. As he breathed in her scent, he closed his eyes and her mouth brushed gently over his. She tasted of alcohol and lip gloss and Andrea felt just the way he remembered. She was warm and comfortable. He couldn't expect the tingle down his spine that he felt when they first got together, like he had felt when he had kissed Stephanie this afternoon.

Paul's eyes quickly popped open. Stephanie. An image of her face popped into his head leaving him confused. He didn't know why he thought about her now of all times but he didn't want to question it. He just knew he couldn't do this. He couldn't kiss Andrea. Not when Stephanie was on his mind.

As Andrea sucked on his bottom lip, he pulled away breaking the kiss. She frowned at him as he slowly backed away from her embrace. "We can't do this, Andrea."

"But why not? We both want it."

Paul slowly shook his head. He shoved his big hands in his jeans pockets as his brown eyes looked at her almost apologetically. "Actually, I don't."

Andrea's pretty face turned almost ugly as she snarled viciously at him and crossed her arms over her chest defensively. "Then go running back to your little gold digger, Paul. But don't come crying to me when she dumps your sorry ass after bleeding you dry."

Paul stared at Andrea for a second before moving slowly towards her. He stood in front of her menacingly backing her against the table. He removed his hands from his pockets and rested them on the chipped wood on either side of her. He felt nothing but a strong dislike for the woman in front of him and any notion that he still might have cared about her was long gone. Her accusations about Stephanie had quickly brought him to his senses and had reminded him of what a spiteful bitch she really was.

"You can think what you like. I don't give a damn. But I do give a damn about Steph." He narrowed his eyes as he glared at her, feeling his anger bubble to the surface. "Stay away from her, Andrea."

She snorted at him scrunching up her nose. "You know I don't respond well to threats, Paul."

"No? Well maybe you'll respond to this." replied Paul. He gripped the wood tightly as he glowered at her. "Stay away from Stephanie or I'll tell Nick what happened here."

"It's your word against mine. Who says he would believe you?" said Andrea defiantly.

"Oh he will. Trust me. Especially when I show him that little note you sent me."

Andrea drew in a sharp intake of breath and Paul felt a sense of smug satisfaction as her face instantly fell. She was screwed and she knew it.

"Paul? Is everything okay in here?"

He turned his head to see Lynn hovering by the door. He nodded at her and smiled as he stepped away from the table. "Everything's just fine, sis."

"Good." she replied, returning his smile. She glared at Andrea and tried not to feel too pleased with herself when the girl quickly glanced away and picked up her glass.

"I'm just heading back outside." Paul said, adjusting the baseball cap on his head.

"Good. Then you can rescue Stephanie."

Paul furrowed his brow curiously. "Why? What's happened?"

"Jack from next door is what's happened." Lynn informed him. "It seems the neighbours' sixteen year old son has a crush on her and he's currently slobbering over her as we speak."

Paul chuckled as he placed his hand on his sister's back and guided her towards the hallway. "Then in that case, I'd better do the whole jealous boyfriend thing and beat him up."

"Hey, who broke the glass?" asked Lynn as the shattered crystal caught her attention..

Andrea scowled from across the room as she unscrewed the lid from the vodka bottle. "I did, okay?"

"Then clean it up bitch."

Lynn didn't even wait for her response and left the kitchen. Paul grinned and wrapped his arm around her shoulder as they walked down the hallway.

"Well that put her in her place."

"Yeah, well I hope you did as well."

Lynn stopped as they reached the front door and turned to look at her brother. He could see the concerned expression on her face as she removed a tissue from her pocket and reached up to wipe his mouth.

"Lip gloss." she said, frowning. "Andrea's I believe."

"It's not what you're thinking." Paul replied, sighing softly.

"I hope not."

"Look she kissed me and I stopped it. For some reason Stephanie entered my head and I realised it was completely wrong."

"Well Stephanie is your girlfriend, Paul." Lynn replied as her brow crinkled with her confusion. "I would hope kissing another woman was wrong even if she is your bitch of an ex."

Paul mentally kicked himself as he realised he had totally slipped up. Just because he was confused about the whole Stephanie thing, no-one else would be. She was supposed to be his girlfriend and he was meant to be in love with her after all. His sister was too damn sharp for her own good at times. He really had to be more careful.

"Things are over between you and Andrea, aren't they?"

Paul quickly nodded his head, reassuring her. "Of course."

"And you are happy with Stephanie?"

"Yes, I am." He smiled as he ruffled her hair affectionately. "So you can stop worrying now." he told her as he opened the door and stepped out into the warm sunshine.

"I'm your big sister. It's my job to worry about you, you know."

Paul grinned and wrapped his arm around her shoulder again as they walked towards the trees where everyone appeared to be sitting. "You should be worrying about that baby of yours instead. You do know that little thing is probably lying in there loaded right now."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Paul nudged her playfully with his hip and noticed his mother grin widely as she watched her children walk towards her. "I know you pinched some wine from Stephanie. She's been warned not to give you any more by the way." he said in a low, warning tone.

"Killjoy." Lynn replied, muttering under her breath.

"There you are. We were wondering where the pair of you had gone."

She flopped down in the grass beside her mother as Paul glanced over at Stephanie, smiling in amusement. Her back was turned to him and her hair blew across her shoulders in the light breeze. A pimple faced boy was sitting across from her grinning from ear to ear. He was obviously Jack and judging from the love sick puppy look he wore, he was definitely smitten by Stephanie.

"I told you." Lynn whispered loudly.

Paul chuckled as he accepted the bottle of beer his father held out towards him. "Thanks Dad."

"Are you going to need any help sorting him out?" his father asked with a twinkle in his eyes.

Paul took a sip of his beer and chuckled as his brown eyes ran over Jack's skinny frame. "Nah. A couple of punches should take care of him." He winked at his mother. "I promise to keep the blood shed to a minimum."

"Paul!" his mother scolded as her eyes crinkled with laughter.

He took another mouthful of beer and stood directly behind Stephanie who was laughing at something Jack had said. He swallowed his drink and crossing his arms in front of him, he pretended to stare menacingly at the teenager. "Is this guy bothering you, babe?"

He resisted the urge to snort with laughter as Jack's eyes went wide with shock and his mouth hung open. The kid looked like he was about to wet himself.

"I-I think I hear my mom calling me." Jack stammered as he scrambled quickly to his feet.

Paul burst into laughter as he watched him stumble and sprint across the grass. As he sat down across from Stephanie, he saw her blue eyes sparkling with her amusement and noticed her cheeks had been lightly coloured by sun. Her soft hair shone with flecks of gold.

"You frightened the life out of that poor boy."

Paul stretched his legs out in front of him placing his bottle next to the tree and leaning back on his hands. "Poor boy, my ass. If he had his way, you'd be in his bedroom right now and it wouldn't be to look at his Britney Spears posters either."

"Britney Spears?" said Stephanie laughing, dangling her wine glass in her hand.

"Okay, maybe not Britney but you get my point."

Stephanie smiled as she took a sip from her wine.

"You do know you are now the object of all his teenage fantasies."

Stephanie spluttered on her wine and wiped the dribble from her chin.

"Yep. Pimple boy will be whacking himself off to images of you tonight." he said, snickering.

"Paul Michael Levesque! I heard that."

Paul rolled his eyes before turning his head to smile sweetly at his mother.

"You're in trouble, huh?" asked Stephanie grinning.

He nodded his head as he sat up and picked up his beer. "Definitely. She used the full name. That means I am in deep shit."

Stephanie laughed as he took a drink of beer. His body immediately stiffened as he noticed Andrea and Nick walk hand in hand from the house.

"It's such a lovely evening."

He swallowed his drink and looked at Stephanie. Her face was tilted towards the sun as she brushed her fingers through her hair. A slow smile crossed his face as he let himself admire her for a moment. She truly was a natural beauty and the sweet thing about her was she had no idea just how beautiful she really was. There was no vanity with her either. Stephanie didn't appear to be obsessed with her clothes or her makeup. This morning it had taken less than half an hour for her to get showered and ready for breakfast and he had been surprised as well as impressed. With Andrea he would have been kept waiting for hours.

Paul gave himself a mental shake ending that particular train of thought. He didn't want to think about Andrea any longer and when he noticed her and Nick walk in their direction, he pushed himself to his feet and held out his hand towards Stephanie.

"Fancy escaping for a bit?"

"Sure." Stephanie smiled as she reached up and took his hand. She gripped her wine glass firmly as he pulled her to her feet and as he released her, she smoothed down her skirt and swatted at a fly that settled on her arm. "Where will we go?"

"There's a river that run down by the back of the house. We used to go there when we were kids. I thought we could take a walk along there."

"Sounds good to me. Let me get rid of this first."

Stephanie tipped the glass back and finished off the wine. She smiled and placed the glass in Paul's father's outstretched hand.

"Don't let Lynn near that Pop. She'll want the dregs."

"Shut up Paul."

Paul chuckled as he picked up the phone that lay beside his mother's purse. He checked it and placed it in his pocket before holding out his hand to Stephanie. "You ready?"

She nodded her head and took his hand. She waved at his family before setting off across the grass. After a couple of steps she puffed loudly, rubbing her full and bloated stomach.

"God, I've eaten too much today. I'm stuffed. I'm going to have to walk for miles to work this lot off."

She smiled at Paul gratefully as he held open the small gate for her. She stepped out into the country road and a bus rumbled past them as he took her hand again.

"I could always go for a run tomorrow before breakfast."

"You run?"

Stephanie nodded her head and smiled softly to herself as she felt Paul lace their fingers together. His hand felt warm and clammy and really nice.

"How far do you run? To the store and back?" he asked, snickering.

Stephanie stopped in her tracks as her hand reached out and slapped his arm. She pretended to glare at him and she pressed her lips tightly together in an attempt not to smile back. His grin was infectious not to mention extremely sexy.

"I'll have you know I run five miles at least every second day."

Paul raised his brow in surprise. "Now I am impressed. How long have you been running for?" he asked as they continued to walk.

"I probably started about four years ago." Stephanie pushed her hair back from her shoulders and followed Paul across the deserted road. "I love it. It's so exhilarating. Plus it's my chance to escape from everything and just clear my head. My life is so busy at times. It's like I don't have time to stop and take a breath, you know."

"Oh trust me, I know." Paul sighed as he tucked his soft blonde hair behind his ear and kicked at a stone in his path.

Stephanie frowned as her blue pools observed him carefully. "And I bet this is probably the first vacation you've taken in months."

He lifted his head to look at her and absently noticed her nose was pink and burned with the sun. She twirled a strand of hair around her finger as she walked and Paul smiled, feeling totally relaxed in her company.

"What makes you say that?"

"Well, you strike me as the workaholic type."

"I do?"

"Uh huh."

Stephanie lifted her head and smiled as their arms lightly swung together.

"Any time I've called you, day or night, you've always been in the office. Now, either you're having an illicit affair with your secretary or you're just hopelessly devoted to your work."

"Hmmm. Well my secretary is sixty and has been happily married for thirty eight years." he grinned as he playfully bumped his hip against hers. "But that doesn't mean I'm a workaholic, you know."

Stephanie's lips upturned into a knowing smile. "Really? We've been here two days, Paul. How many times have you called the office?"

Paul lifted his shoulder in a shrug as he turned into the small path that led them down to the river. "I haven't."

"Liar!" Stephanie tugged on his hand stopped him in his tracks. He watched with amusement as she reached behind him into his back pocket to pull out his phone. She was so close he could smell her vanilla body lotion and he could also feel her chest pressed up against him. Paul's lips curved up gently as Stephanie stepped away and held up his cell phone in front of her.

"I can always just check your phone if you won't tell me the truth."

"Okay, okay." he said, holding his hands up in defence. "I called the office once."

Stephanie raised her brow in disbelief and shook her head, showing she didn't believe him.

"Maybe twice." replied Paul chuckling and rested his hands on her hips like it was the most natural thing in the world. Stephanie felt a rush of heat through her body at the contact and swallowed thickly as her chest fluttered. Somehow her fingers calmly pressed the buttons on the phone.

"I take it you don't believe me?"

Stephanie shook her head as she continued to search his numbers. "You're lying, Levesque." she told him and bit back a smile as she saw her own name on his list of contacts.

"If I admitted that I called the office five times yesterday but only twice today would you believe me then?"

Her blue eyes peered at him over the lit up display on the phone. "That sounds a little more like it."

"It's the truth, I swear."

"I believe you."

Smiling, Stephanie placed the phone back in his pocket and tried not to think about his hands which still rested on her hips. God, he was so close she could smell the mixture of alcohol and mint on his breath and the faint spicy scent of his cologne. She placed her palms against his chest and struggled to breathe in their proximity.

"I knew you were calling. A guy like you just can't switch off." she continued, biting down on her lip shyly as her blue eyes scanned his face. "I guess that's why you're so successful. You can't afford to switch off not when there is all that money involved not to mention your reputation on the line."

Paul was silent for a moment as he just looked at her. Stephanie swallowed thickly and felt her body temperature rise as his thumb rubbed small circles against her back. It was the slightest of movements yet it made her body tingle with pleasure. Her heart was pounding in her chest. Nobody in the world had ever affected her like this before. Her senses felt like they were on total overload.

"Do you know you're probably the only person I know that gets that about me?" said Paul.

Stephanie licked her lips before pressing them together in a smile. "That may be but I'm not a concerned mother who is worried about her son or a lonely girlfriend who misses you at nights."

"Is that you making excuses for Andrea screwing around on me?"

His brown eyes twinkled back at her and Stephanie's teeth pulled on the corner of her lip, ducking her head and feeling slightly awkward. Despite Paul's playful tone, she wasn't entirely sure she was comfortable with discussing Andrea. Not today. Not when she was still smarting from their earlier conversation although she had enjoyed sticking it to the bitch on several occasions over the course of the afternoon. Playing ball with Paul certainly had a lot of advantages. Deciding to reward him with a kiss for every point he scored was just one of them. Another had been sitting on his lap afterwards as they all sat together in the garden. Andrea had been practically spitting venom from her eyes, a fact that had made her incredibly happy at the time.

"I'm sorry. I've made you uncomfortable."

Stephanie glanced up at Paul and slowly shook her head. "No, you haven't. Honestly."

"Yes, I have." Paul paused for a second, smiling gently. "You're chewing on your bottom lip. You always do that when you're feeling nervous or uneasy."

Stephanie's mouth lifted into an amused smile. "I do?"

"Yes, you do. It's a cute little habit of yours. Just like the one where your nose wrinkles when you laugh."

Stephanie snorted and blushing immediately, she covered her nose with her hand.

Smirking, Paul grabbed her wrist pulling it away from her face. "Stop trying to hide it, Stephanie."

She giggled as she tried to wriggle free from his grip. His fingers were hot and felt delicious against her skin.

"Then stop trying to embarrass me."

"I'm not trying to embarrass you. I'm just being observant." he replied, pushing her hand and holding it to her side.

"And are you always so damn observant about the people you do business with?"

"Usually only the pretty ones like you." he replied, winking.

Stephanie felt another rush of colour to her cheeks as she caught her breath and gazed into his brown eyes. They sparkled brightly at her and she could feel her head swimming as he released her wrist and brought his hand up to lightly brush her face. His face softened as he smiled at her.

"But if I'm honest, pretty doesn't even do you justice."

Stephanie let out a slow, calming breath as she tried to remain composed. Her head was still giddy and the blood was pounding in her ears. She didn't know if it was Paul or the alcohol flowing in her bloodstream. Her heart raced in her chest as his soft hand trailed across the back of her neck bringing her face slowly towards him. God, he was going to kiss her and Stephanie licked her lips in anticipation. Her breath caught in her throat as he gently nuzzled her cheek.

"You're so beautiful." he breathed into her ear.

Stephanie swore her heart stopped as Paul pushed her hair back from her shoulder and lightly began to nibble her earlobe. Her mouth felt so dry and her whole body was throbbing. A soft whimper escaped from her lips as he trailed soft kisses along her jaw line. She couldn't believe this was happening to her. She wanted this so badly she felt she was about to burst.

Stephanie's stomach coiled with her desire as their noses rubbed together. In the distance she could hear an aeroplane as it flew above them.

"I'm not sure I can keep things just business between us, Steph."

Her heart raced in her chest as his hand moved from her neck to cup her face. His brown eyes were dark and intense as his thumb lightly grazed her cheek. His face was moving closer towards her and she could feel his hot breath against her lips.

"I want to kiss you." he whispered.

"I want you to kiss me too." she murmured into his mouth as it finally found hers and their lips brushed together in a slow, sweet kiss.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"Thank God that is over with."

Paul looked in the rear view mirror and smiled at his sister's reflection. Her head leant wearily against her husband's shoulder and sounded totally worn out. He wasn't surprised. It had been a long day for everyone. The barbecue had extended into dinner at the insistence of his Aunt Jane. Of course she was tipsy and enjoying herself and had been looking for any excuse to continue the party. His mother hadn't protested either. She had seemed quite keen to drink another glass of wine or two.

"But I can't believe we have to go to those stupid bachelor and bachelorette parties tomorrow." groaned Lynn. "Fucking lace and tiaras. Who the hell does she think she is?"

Paul pressed his lips together tightly. His fingers gripped the leather steering wheel as he stared straight ahead. He wasn't exactly enamoured with the idea himself but he hadn't been able to refuse, not when his father had joined his uncle in pleading with him to come. They were going to a club with Nick's family and friends. With any luck he'd be able to drink himself stupid and forget that he was attending a party for the man who had slept with his fiancé. But then again Nick was welcome to Andrea. The guy had done him a favour especially now he knew wanted nothing more to do with the vindictive bitch. Not to mention that she had proved what a mind fuck she was this afternoon. He couldn't believe Andrea had offered not to go through with the wedding and then have the audacity to kiss him. She'd caught him off guard but thankfully he had managed to come to his senses. Still, for a brief moment, he'd let her get into his head. It was a mistake he would never make again.

"Is Stephanie sleeping?"

Paul glanced over to his right. The streetlights shone through the glass illuminating her face. He smiled to himself as he turned his attention back to the road. "Yeah, she's asleep."

"Poor thing. God knows how she feels about tomorrow."

Paul sighed as he turned left into the road leading to the hotel. Stephanie hadn't said much about it but he knew she had only agreed because his mother had asked her to go. Afterwards he had taken her aside and told her no-one would think anything of it if she did refuse to attend. But she had flashed that brilliant smile of hers his way and told him she was quite happy to go to the party. He had left it at that. He knew that Lynn would make sure she was okay. And if Andrea even dared to go near her, God help her. He would tear her limb from limb. That's if there was anything left of her after Lynn had finished with her. Not only did she hate Andrea but she really had taken a shine to Stephanie. They seemed to really get along. He had watched them chat and laugh with one another all day. He had to admit it had made him smile. However, it had also made him feel a little guilty. He hated deceiving his family, especially his sister. Despite their constant bickering they were actually pretty tight.

Licking his lips thoughtfully, Paul swung the Expedition into the hotel car park. The tyres crunched against the gravel. He switched off the engine and sat back in the seat with a heavy sigh. His big hand lifted to rub at his tired eyes.

"I see your parents are back." said Adam.

Paul glanced to his left and looked out the window, his hand falling to his lap. He smiled to himself as he saw the pale blue Buick. His mother would probably be dead to the world already. She always did flake out after a tipple or two. No doubt it wouldn't be long before his father would be fast asleep beside her. He'd yawned his head before they had left Jane's.

"Paul, we're going to bed. Will you be okay with Stephanie?"

He turned round and smiled at his family in the back. The leather seat creaked underneath him. "Sure. I'll probably just carry her inside."

"Aw, my little brother is getting chivalrous in his old age."

Paul made a face at his sister and she laughed as she leaned forward in her seat and ruffled his hair.

"Goodnight, bro. See you at breakfast."

"Night!" he called out as he watched Adam take his sister's hand and help her out the car. The door shut softly behind her and he watched them disappear towards the hotel before he turned towards Stephanie.

Her head leant back against the headrest and her lips were slightly parted. Her long full lashes rested softly against her cheeks. Paul couldn't resist touching her and his hand lifted to allow his fingers to sweep her hair across her forehead. Stephanie looked beautiful with the soft lights from the hotel falling across her face so much so he swore he felt a hitch in his chest every time he looked at her. He couldn't deny he was physically attracted to this woman and if he was honest, he had been from the moment he had met her. There had just been something about Stephanie. Her sparkling big blue eyes had captivated him and he loved her glittering smile. But the more he had gotten to know the young woman behind the eyes and the smile, the more he had realised he liked her. So much so, he was now developing genuine feelings for Stephanie. He couldn't deny it to himself any longer. She was slowly but surely creeping her way into his heart. In fact at times the way he felt about her overwhelmed him. It had overwhelmed him so much so that he had finally given in and admitted he wanted to kiss her this afternoon. He hadn't planned to. It had just happened. And he had been pleasantly surprised when Stephanie had told him she wanted him to kiss her too.

Just then she moaned softly as she shifted in her sleep. Paul smiled gently as he moved his hand to her shoulder and shook her.

"Steph?"

She mumbled incoherently as her head rolled to the side. Suddenly a shrill ringing filled the silent car. Her eyes snapped open as Paul cursed then looked at her apologetically.

"Sorry."

She gave him a tired smile as the phone continued to ring out. "It's okay." She pushed herself up the chair and bent forward. "My bag is on the floor."

Paul watched her retrieve the red leather bag and rummage through it. As she handed him the cell phone, it stopped ringing. He smiled his thanks and frowned as he took it from her manicured hand and checked it.

"Would it have been important?" asked Stephanie.

He glanced up at her and shrugged. "I don't recognise the number. It could have been work." He sighed. "I was waiting on a call."

"I was right. You are a workaholic." she teased. "It's what? Eleven o'clock at night?"

Paul's brown eyes sparkled with amusement as he reached across and playfully tweaked her nose. "Stop being a smartass."

Stephanie grinned but began to yawn and lifted her hand to cover her mouth.

"Come on, Sleeping Beauty. Let's get you to bed." said Paul as he opened the door to the car.

She followed him and stepped out into the car park. The light breeze blew through her hair and she tucked the stray strands behind her ear as she walked around the car to meet Paul. Her feet crunched in the gravel watching the lights flash as he locked the vehicle. "I think I'll have a long soak in the tub first. I feel pretty grubby." she said.

Paul nudged her playfully as they began to walk to the hotel. "Well I didn't want to say anything."

Stephanie stopped in her tracks and glared at him. She slapped his arm as she tried not to grin. "Are you saying I smell?"

"Would I say such a thing?" said Paul grinning as he feigned innocence.

"Not in so many words but I can read between the lines, you know."

Paul chuckled as he pulled her towards him and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. He side-glanced her as they began to walk. "You can read? Who would have guessed?"

Stephanie poked her finger in his side causing him to jump. "You're walking on thin ice mister."

Their laughter rang out across the hotel gardens and the moon appeared behind a thin blanket of clouds as they disappeared into the building.

Stephanie hummed a tune softly to herself as she ran the brush through her damp chestnut locks. The thin strap from her ivory silk nightgown fell from her shoulder and her freshly washed skin tingled where she had rubbed in her body lotion. She could hear the faint sound of the television coming from the bedroom. A slow smile traced her lips. Paul was just next door. Paul. A guy who, less than five hours ago, had literally stolen her breath away.

Stephanie's smile instantly widened as she remembered the kiss they had shared. It had been an amazing kiss. It had been even more amazing than the kisses they had already shared the last day or so. It had felt different somehow, almost like it had truly meant something between them. It had also been the most beautiful kiss she had ever experienced in her life. Tingles had shot down her spine and she forgot everything around her as she let herself get lost in him. God even now she could still feel his embrace. His soft lips pressed firmly against hers, his stubble lightly grazing her skin. The kiss had been so sweet yet filled with such passion. Her heart had raced and her knees had almost crumpled the second his tongue had brushed against hers. She had never felt so much from one kiss before. She had also never wanted anyone so much in her life.

Sighing softly, Stephanie placed down the brush on the porcelain hand basin. She raised her head and shyly looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her nose was tinged with pink, burnt from the sun. Her eyes were wide and sparkling and her skin was glowing but it wasn't from the steam in the bathroom. It was because she was happy. So deliriously happy she felt like she could burst. Paul had feelings towards her. And although she wasn't entirely sure what those feelings were or how deeply they ran, she knew they were far from platonic. It was more than she could have imagined because never in her wildest dreams could she have imagined he would ever feel that way about her. God, he was such an amazing guy. A guy that she knew she was falling hopelessly in love with and a guy that had made her realise that the feelings she had for Ethan weren't as strong or true as she believed them to be.

Her smile immediately faltered and Stephanie sighed heavily as she stepped away from the basin. She didn't want to think about Ethan. Every time she did she felt a stab of guilt right in the pit of her stomach. She knew she wasn't being fair to him. After all, she was constantly thinking of another man so much so that in all honesty, Ethan had been the furthest thing from her mind ever since she had left Boston. And the scary thing was it had been so easy to do. So easy in fact that even if she never saw Paul again after this wedding was over, things could never be the same between her and Ethan. The relationship was over. It had to be. How on earth could she be with him, lying to him, knowing her heart lay somewhere else?

Feeling another pang of guilt, Stephanie deliberately ended that particular train of thought and adjusting the strap of her nightdress, she unlocked the bathroom door. As she walked into the bedroom, she frowned curiously noticing Paul wasn't there. The covers were crumpled on the bed where he had been sitting when she had left him only half an hour ago but he hadn't mentioned going anywhere. And as she wandered across to the bed, Stephanie spotted his shoes scattered on the floor. He had been wearing them when she had gone to the bathroom. Where the hell could he have gone without them?

Stephanie absently picked up the remote from the bed and switched off the television. As the room went quiet, she heard the distinct sound of Paul's voice filter through the door. Her nose wrinkled in confusion as she stood in the middle of the floor feeling the light breeze on her skin from the open window. He was talking to someone in the corridor. She couldn't help but wonder who it was. Then again, she couldn't hear any other voices which meant he had to be on the phone. She wondered who had called that he had gone out of the room. Not that she wanted to pry of course. It was obviously private. She was just curious that's all. It was almost midnight and it wasn't the most convenient time to call someone. Sighing, she absently rubbed the goose bumps that had appeared on her arms. She pulled back the covers on the bed and as she was about to climb in, she heard the knock at the door.

"Steph, are you there?"

Stephanie chuckled lightly as she made her way to the door, her bare feet sinking into the plush carpet. Paul had obviously locked himself out of the room. Maybe she would ask for a kiss as an incentive to let him back in. He hadn't kissed her since their walk by the river. She was desperate to know that he hadn't felt it was a mistake. He hadn't said much about it. In fact, he hadn't really said anything at all.

"Steph?"

Her hand turned the shiny knob as she opened the door just a little and peered through the crack. She couldn't help the smile that traced her lips when she saw him. His long blonde hair was tucked behind his ears. He was grinning at her sheepishly, his brown eyes crinkling at the corners. He was bare footed just as she suspected. His white shirt was untucked and hung loosely over the waistband of his denim jeans. Sweet Jesus, the guy was absolutely gorgeous.

"Are you going to let me in?" he asked, as he stood in front of the door.

"Well that all depends." she said, teasingly.

"On what?"

"On you and whether you'll admit why you were out there in the first place."

Paul licked his lips as he leant against the doorframe. The sound of a door closing echoed down the corridor. He folded his huge arms across his chest. "I went for a walk."

"Uh huh." Stephanie raised her eyebrows slightly. "You do know you have no shoes on."

Paul glanced down briefly at his feet. As he raised his head, loose strands of hair fell free from his ear. He wore a lop-sided smile on his face. "That's just a minor technicality."

"But quite an important one if you ask me."

Paul's brown eyes sparkled as he moved his face closer towards her. Stephanie swallowed thickly. She could smell the faint scent of his cologne.

"If you must know, I was taking a call."

"You could have taken it in the room."

"True but you could have walked in at any time and busted me."

Stephanie smiled knowingly at that admission. "It was work, wasn't it? You were calling work."

"Actually work called me. It was the client I missed earlier. He's from California. San Fransisco actually."

Stephanie's blue eyes stared at him intently mesmerised by his voice. She had loved listening to Paul on the phone. When he had been calling her regularly before this trip, she had found herself closing her eyes at times when he talked. His voice was so deep and smooth. It was sexy as hell.

"So, now I've told you the truth, can I come back in?" asked Paul.

She smiled, nodding her head and stepped back as she opened the door. His arm brushed against her as he passed her and Stephanie shivered slightly at the contact. As the door clicked shut, she turned and lifted her head. Paul was standing in front of her and she inhaled his scent once again. She couldn't help herself. He smelled incredible.

"I think your shoulders are burnt. They're looking a bit red." he commented.

Stephanie felt her body tingle as Paul's fingers gently stroked her skin. His brow was furrowed as he continued to examine her in the dim light of the hotel bedroom.

"You did remember to use sun cream didn't you?"

She giggled as his hand fell away from her arm. "Yes I did." She paused for a second and stuck out her tongue. "Dad!"

Paul narrowed his eyes and glared at her. They twinkled despite the stern look he pretended to wear upon his face. "I'm only showing a bit of concern here. There's no need for you to be so damn rude."

"Aww." Stephanie playfully ruffled his hair messing up his soft blonde strands. "I'm sorry."

She burst into another fit of giggles as she wandered across to the bed. She slipped between the covers and they rested across her waist as she leant back against the pillows. She watched Paul as he took his cell phone from his back pocket and placed it down on the small table. His thick fingers unclipped the gold watch from his wrist and he put it down it on the nightstand. She felt the mattress shift underneath her as he flopped down on the bed. He lay on his back, his blonde locks fanned across the pillows. His hands rested on his stomach as he stared up at the ceiling. His long legs were crossed over as they stretched out across the blankets.

"I had a really nice time today." she said.

Paul turned his head in her direction and she smiled at him.

"Thank you."

He raised his eyebrows fractionally. "And can I ask exactly what you are thanking me for?"

She grinned. "Well today was a momentous occasion. Do you know it was the first time I've ever won a ball game in my life?"

"I didn't know that."

"Well it's true. It's my brother's fault by the way. He never let me play with him and his friends. Apparently it wasn't cool to play with his annoying younger sister."

"I didn't know you had a brother." said Paul as he uncrossed his legs and pushed himself up to lean on his arms.

"I didn't mention him?"

He shook his head causing his blonde hair to brush across his shoulders.

"Well I guess there are a lot of things you won't know about me. Well except the fact I love strawberry ice cream and get drunk way too easily on wine."

Paul laughed as he punched the pillows behind him and leant back against them. He shifted onto his side to face her and his face rested against the crisp cotton. "Well maybe you can tell me about the rest some time."

Stephanie nodded her head as she turned towards him. "Maybe I will." She moved down the bed until her face was level with his. He was so close she could feel his warm breath on her lips. His beautiful eyes were watching her. The expression on his face was gentle.

"I'm sorry about what Andrea said to you earlier."

Stephanie pressed her lips together in a tight smile of acknowledgment. She tried not to feel annoyed at the topic of conversation knowing that the last thing she wanted was to talk about his bitch of an ex while she was lying here beside him wanting nothing more in the world for him to kiss her again.

"I've warned her to stay away from you."

Her brow instantly furrowed. She hadn't known Paul had talked to her. He certainly hadn't mentioned it. But then again, he said precious little when it came to Andrea. Sometimes Stephanie felt she was a taboo subject and she had to admit, his reluctance to talk about her sometimes made her feel slightly uncomfortable. It just enforced her fears that deep down he still loved her. That he still wanted to be with her.

"She had no right to attack you like that."

Stephanie shrugged her shoulders. She brought her hand to rest beside her on the pillow. "It doesn't matter. Not really." She gave him a lop-sided smile. "I mean, it's not like we're actually a couple. Our relationship, well it's just pretend. It's nothing more than a business arrangement is it?"

Paul looked at her thoughtfully for a second. His face wore a slight frown. "I'm not so sure anymore."

Her lips parted in surprise while she felt her heart give a nervous flip.

"Stephanie, I can't stop thinking about you." he whispered.

She swallowed thickly as his hand reached out and tucked her damp hair behind her ear. His thumb lightly grazed her cheek before trailing it down her face and brushing it across her bottom lip. Her blood was beating in her ears. Her body felt like it was trembling. She felt like pinching herself just to make sure this was real, that this wasn't all a dream. This was really happening. It felt too good to be true.

"When I kissed you today, it just felt so right." Paul's brown eyes scanned her face. "Does that sound crazy?"

Stephanie shook her head against the pillow. "No." she said softly. "It doesn't sound crazy at all."

"All I can think about is kissing you again."

Stephanie licked her lips. Her blue eyes stared deeply into his as her heart beat wildly in her chest. "Me too." she whispered.

Paul reached out to curl his hand around her cheek tilting her face up to his. His gaze was intense as his mouth moved towards her. She swore her heart almost stopped as his lips brushed against hers ever so softly. Her breath caught in her throat. She placed her hand on his thick bicep as she closed her eyes and felt herself melt into his kiss. This was it. The second kiss. God, it felt just as amazing as the first.

Paul's beard was rough against her face as his mouth opened hers. His fingertips moved slowly down her arm tickling her slightly. Her heart raced in her chest. He tasted so good and she never wanted him to stop. Paul's arm crept around her body. His big hand rested on her back. She could feel the heat of his palm through the light material of her nightgown. His hand slowly drifted lower. He was kissing her thoroughly and passionately in a way she'd never been kissed before. God knows Paul was like nothing she'd ever experienced in her life. No-one had elicited such feelings in her especially from a kiss.

A wave of heat rushed through Stephanie as she responded to his touch. Suddenly his mouth left hers and she let out a silent gasp. As she opened her eyes to search for him, his hot mouth began to trail soft, wet kisses along the column of her throat. She closed her eyes once more and squeezed her legs together as she felt her desire for him grow. She felt light headed and giddy and honestly, she had never been so turned on in her life. She had never wanted anyone so much.

Stephanie lifted her hand and tangled her fingers in his soft blonde hair. Paul's palm drifted lower and rested on her thigh. Her body throbbed with desire as he pushed up the bottom of silk nightgown and lightly squeezed her soft flesh. His mouth trailed upwards and along her jaw. Her throat hot and sticky, Stephanie turned her head slightly halting his kiss. Her ribcage rose and fell with her heavy breathing. Their noses brushed together as she slowly opened her eyes. Paul's brown orbs were darkened with desire and the way he was looking at her sent a rush of heat through her body. She knew right there and then he wanted her every bit as much as she wanted him. That knowledge made her bold as she moved her mouth closer. Her lips hovered over his.

"I want you, Paul." she admitted.

She heard him swallow hard. She could feel his hot breath on her lips. The look in his eyes was intense.

"I want you too." Their lips grazed together lightly. Their eyes closed simultaneously. "So fucking badly." he whispered into her mouth.

Stephanie let out a soft moan as Paul began to kiss her hard, his tongue sliding deliciously over hers as he explored her mouth. Her skin burned where his hand still rested firmly against her thigh and he squeezed it gently once more. She wriggled impatiently, suddenly desperate for him to touch her everywhere, her body crying out for him. He was physically driving her insane.

Just then his mouth left hers again and their laboured breaths filled the room as they looked intently at one another. Stephanie felt her desire for him pool in the pit of her stomach. Her mouth was still wet from his kiss.

"Maybe we should take a break." he said huskily.

It was the last thing she was expecting to hear and her blue eyes searched his face in confusion. She slowly shook her head and tried to control the tears that she felt caught in the back of her throat. He was rejecting her. Why?!

"Don't you want me?" she asked him.

Paul's brown eyes were tender as his hand swept her hair across her forehead offering her some reassurance. "Of course I want you. I just….I just think we're moving too fast. Maybe….maybe we should think about this."

"I know what I'm doing Paul. I want this to happen. I really do." she replied. Her hand rested softly on his cheek, his light stubble tickling her palm.

Paul sighed heavily. His brow was furrowed. His hand covered hers.

"I mean I'm not the habit of jumping into bed with a man but this is different."

"Different how?"

"Different because of the way I feel about you." Stephanie paused letting out a slow breath and she drew on her courage to make her admission. "See I know for a fact that I am falling for you."

Paul swallowed hard, feeling completely stunned. His eyes searched her face as he struggled with what to say to her admission. He liked Stephanie. In fact, he liked her one hell of a lot. He just hadn't let himself think about what it meant or how deeply those feelings went. In a way he was scared to but God knows he knew he wanted her. The woman was breath taking especially now. Her face was flushed and her damp hair was tousled across the pillow. The top of her chest spilled over her nightgown as her teeth pulled on her lip. She looked sexy as hell and it would be so easy to let all logic and reason leave his head.

Paul brought her face to his and rested his forehead against hers. "I do care about you, Steph. I really do. And I want this to happen. I just……" His voice trailed off as his brown eyes pleaded with her to try and understand.

Stephanie smiled as she ran her hand through his rumpled hair. "I'm a big girl, Paul. Whatever happens, I can take it." Her hand moved to cup the back of his head.

Her smile slowly faded as she rolled her lips together. "I trust this, Paul. I mean, how can it be wrong when it feels so right?"

Her lips brushed against his gently before she murmured into his mouth. "No regrets."

"No regrets." Paul repeated as he closed his eyes and let himself get lost in her kiss.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

The hot sun beat down from the clear blue sky above. Stephanie lifted her hand and wiped at her damp brow as her feet continued to pound heavily against the dirt track road. The air felt sticky and humid despite the early hour of the morning and her body was already covered in a thin sheen of perspiration. She could feel her red vest top cling tightly to her skin. She'd only been running a matter of minutes but the heat made it feel like hours. Her legs were heavy and her chest felt quite tight. It was tempting just to turn around and crawl back under the sheets. There was at least another hour before they had to get up for breakfast but she knew lying in bed was pointless. She wouldn't get any sleep. All night she had been restless, tossing and turning constantly until she'd finally given up trying and had tiptoed out to the balcony. She'd sat there for the better part of an hour watching as the sun rose, covering everywhere it touched in a hue of oranges and pinks.

Stephanie side stepped a broken bottle as she followed the track to the right. Her laboured breathing echoed along the deserted road. Her mind began to drift as she continued to run and her lips tugged upwards into a small smile as she thought about Paul. He had been sleeping like a baby when she had reluctantly left the hotel room. His body had been sprawled across the mattress and his face buried in the pillows. She had sat beside him for a while content just to watch him. She had allowed her fingers to run through his hair and her lips had brushed against his warm cheek. Stephanie just couldn't help herself. She felt the constant need to touch him. It was like he was a drug to her, something she constantly craved. Last night she had proved that when she had practically thrown herself at him.

Stephanie sighed softly as she passed by a small stream. The water sparkled in the sunlight. She could see the hotel as it towered above the trees in the distance. She wondered if Paul was awake yet. Maybe he would be relieved to find her not there in the room with him. God knows, things were going to feel awkward between them. How couldn't they be after last night? It was probably the reason why she was out here running instead of being in bed with Paul. She knew she was putting off the inevitable but she was slightly embarrassed to face him. Despite things definitely progressing between them, they hadn't actually had sex. Of course, Paul had been more than sweet when he had stopped things reassuring her he did want it to happen. He just didn't want to rush things and spoil what was happening between them. She had wanted to scream and ask him exactly what that was but instead she had agreed and had lain in his arms trying not to feel frustrated. She wanted Paul. She had wanted him so much her body had literally ached for him. It was the reason she hadn't slept. Being in such close proximity to him didn't help her longing. The feel of his hot skin next to hers only reminded her of what she wanted. Paul obviously didn't feel the same though and she couldn't pretend to herself that didn't hurt. It did. It hurt a lot probably because once again, he had enforced her fear, her deep rooted fear that he still cared for Andrea. She could bet he would have no hesitation in sleeping with that bitch. Then again, Andrea seemed the type that would make sure she always got what she wanted.

That was another one of her deep rooted fears. Andrea could snap her fingers at any time and Paul might very well go back to her. That meant she was nothing to him, not that she was really sure she was something to begin with.

Stephanie felt her legs throb as she ran up the small hill. Her chest was burning. She knew she'd pushed herself way too hard. She always did when she had something on her mind. A car rumbled past as she made her way back onto the main road. She didn't allow herself to think any more as she returned to the hotel.

When she got there the lobby was empty. She smiled at the young girl on the reception desk She adjusted her messy ponytail as she tried to catch her breath. Her body felt like lead as she made her way up the staircase. Her hand gripped the brass railing. She could hear a baby screaming from the corridor to her left.

"Good morning!"

The hearty greeting startled Stephanie causing her to jump slightly. She looked up to see Patricia at the top of the landing. Her kind face wore a soft expression. She smiled at her shyly as she approached her. "Good morning."

"Have you been running? Paul never told me you ran."

Stephanie licked her dry lips as she nodded her head.

"Then again, that boy hardly tells me anything. I usually have to interrogate him to pry it out of him." chuckled Patricia. "I take it he's still in bed?"

Stephanie smiled, nodding. "At least he was when I left."

"That doesn't surprise me. Then again, he works that hard his body probably needs the rest." She patted Stephanie on the shoulder as she passed by her on the landing. "I'm heading to breakfast, dear. I'll see you when you come down."

Stephanie smiled softly and made her way towards the room. Her footsteps slowed as she approached their door. She felt her blood pound in her ears. The sound of children's footsteps carried down the hallway. She slowly lifted her hand to knock but hesitated slightly then mentally chastised herself. She was an adult for Gods sakes. She could surely handle this like one. She let out a calming breath as her knuckles rapped lightly against the wood. She'd forgotten her key. She hoped Paul was up. It had only been two days but already she had learned he was a heavy sleeper. If he was still in bed, she was in for a long wait.

Her hand lifted to knock again when she heard the door click open. She took a step back feeling her stomach churn nervously. Her nerves didn't stop her heart from flipping when Paul's face appeared in the crack in the doorway. A slow, sexy smile crossed his face. Stephanie's manicured fingers twisted together.

"I forgot my key." she explained.

"So I see." he said.

His brown eyes travelled slowly along the length of her body. Stephanie swallowed thickly and shifted uncomfortably. She could see through the space that he wore only his jeans. The top button was undone. Droplets of water ran down his smooth tanned skin. His wet hair hung around his shoulders.

"So, are you going to let me in?" she asked.

"That depends."

"On what?"

"On you and whether you'll admit the reason why you are out there in the first place."

Stephanie couldn't help the smile that traced her lips. She felt her awkwardness slowly begin to slip away. Paul was teasing her by replaying what she had done to him last night. His brown eyes were twinkling at her mischievously. He didn't seem to be embarrassed or the least bit uncomfortable. Maybe she had been fretting over nothing all morning. Maybe there was no reason to feel awkward around him. After all, it wasn't like he had totally rejected her. He was just being careful. Maybe she should respect that instead of thinking it was about him not wanting her.

"So are you going to confess or are you planning to stay out there all morning?"

A door banged loudly down the corridor. Stephanie unclasped her hands and gestured towards her running gear. "I went for a run. I would have thought it was obvious."

Paul opened the door a little wider. His bare shoulder leant against the doorframe as he crossed his thick arms in front of him. "I don't know. You could just be wearing those tight skimpy clothes to tease all the residents."

Stephanie felt herself blush. He was staring at her intently. "I'm a hot and sticky mess, Paul. I'm anything but appealing right now."

"Oh I have to disagree." He paused for a second. A soft smile traced his lips. Stephanie tried not to let her eyes drift to the drop of water that trickled towards the waist of his jeans. "In fact, if Pimple Boy could see you now, he'd probably explode with excitement." he snickered.

Stephanie shook her head and couldn't help but laugh. She took a couple of steps towards the door.

"Nuh-uh-uh!" said Paul as he straightened up. His hands fell to his sides. "Where do you think you are going?"

Stephanie narrowed her eyes. "In the room."

"I don't think so." replied Paul, grinning.

"I've told you the truth. That means you let me in." she replied placing her hands on her hips.

"Not before you give me something first."

"And what would that be?"

"This." Paul stepped forward and placed a gentle kiss on her mouth.

As he stepped back, Stephanie felt the colour flush to her cheeks. She bit down on her lip and tilted her head, shyly.

"Now you can come in." he said, winking at her. He smiled as he stepped aside to let her past. However, his smile slowly faded as the door clicked shut behind him. His big hand pushed back his wet hair as he admitted to himself had been worried. He honestly thought he had fucked up last night and when he had woken this morning to an empty space beside him, it had only confirmed his fears. At one point, he'd even thought Stephanie was gone and had planned to race after her when he spotted her nightdress on the back of the chair and realised her belongings were still there. When he had eventually calmed down, he remembered her briefly mentioning a run. But still, the worry had lingered until he'd heard the knock at the door. He had been so relieved to see her which was why he had kissed her. He'd wanted to the second he saw her standing there. God, he cared about her a lot. He knew that. He couldn't bear the thought that he had hurt her somehow. Stephanie was important to him, probably more important than he allowed himself to believe. He was scared to admit just how much she meant to him. The wall he'd built around his heart after Andrea wouldn't allow him to. But that wall was in danger of crumbling which was why he had felt the need to protect himself last night. He was over Andrea. He knew he was. He just wasn't over the pain her betrayal had caused. Paul wasn't sure he could put himself out there. He wasn't prepared to fall in love and get hurt like that again. That was why he had to be honest with Stephanie. He had thought about it all morning. He was going to explain and hope she understood. He prayed she would. Despite all his uncertainties, he knew he didn't want to lose her. He couldn't.

"I'm going to take a shower if that's okay." said Stephanie as she pulled out her ponytail. Her fingers ruffled through her hair and it fell in soft waves around her shoulders.

Paul nodded as he walked across to the bed. "Have you got a second first?" he asked as he sat down on the unmade crumpled covers. The mattress shifted underneath him. He patted the space beside him. "I want to talk to you."

Paul could see the wariness in Stephanie's blue eyes as she slowly walked towards him. Her hands rubbed nervously against her black running shorts. He smiled at her softly. "I won't bite, I promise."

A hint of a smile crossed Stephanie's lips as she sat down next to him. Her eyes glanced at his muscular thighs. She knew without even having to ask that this was about last night. She felt her earlier awkwardness return. Nothing Paul could say would change anything. He didn't want to sleep with her. She got that. She didn't need him to remind her although he obviously felt that he did. Now she got to relive the embarrassment of his rejection all over again. She heard Paul clear his throat. She tilted her head and looked up at him. His big brown eyes wore a gentle expression as he looked at her.

"About last night……."

Stephanie quickly shook her head as her hand reached across and rested on his thigh. She could feel the heat of his skin through the denim. His nose was wrinkled in confusion. "It's okay, Paul. Honestly. You don't have to explain yourself to me."

"But I think I do and I want you to listen. Please?"

She pressed her lips together and nodded her head. She was about to retract her hand when she felt Paul cover it with his. His palm felt warm and clammy. His damp hair was curling slightly at the ends. He smiled at her almost nervously as he shifted on the bed.

"I wanted you last night, Stephanie. Believe me, I did." He pressed his lips together. His brown eyes searched her face. "But I stopped things between us in large part because, well…."

His voice trailed off and Stephanie squeezed his hand reassuringly. One corner of his mouth tugged upwards into a small smile.

"Well because I guess I felt I needed to protect myself."

"Can I ask what you are protecting yourself from?" she asked softly as she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

Paul's chest rose and fell as he let out a deep sigh. "From you."

"From me?"

"Yeah."

Stephanie chewed on the inside of her lip. She watched Paul closely as she thought about his answer. As she saw the flicker of fear in his deep brown eyes, she got it. This wasn't about her or not wanting her enough. Paul was scared. He was scared of her and what was happening here. She felt her heart skip a beat. Her tongue moistened her lips. If he was scared of her, it must mean this meant something to him. She meant something to him. If not, then why would he be reacting this way? He did care about her. He had admitted as much. But maybe his feelings ran deeper that she dared to believe. God, she hoped so. She hoped for it with all her heart.

Stephanie gripped his hand a little more tightly as her blue eyes looked into his. She didn't want to broach the subject but she had to. She needed to know even if she didn't like the answer. "Andrea really did a number on you, didn't she?"

Paul glanced away. His reaction spoke volumes to her.

"Do you still love her?"

Paul shook his head, his damp hair brushing across his shoulders. As his brown eyes connected with hers, she knew that she believed him.

"There was a small part of me that thought I did for a long time but now when I look at her, I know that part of my life is over. We're over. It's time to move on and put it all behind me." He paused for a second. He looked at her thoughtfully. "I guess that was my reason for coming here, you know. I needed some sort of closure on us and what we had."

"And did you find it?" asked Stephanie tentatively.

"I did." Paul smiled gently. His other hand reached out and took hold of hers. "Although I never imagined for one second I'd find you too."

Stephanie swallowed hard. She smiled at him shyly. Inside, her heart was pounding against her chest.

"Cards on the table, you gripped me that first night I met you." He smiled at her tenderly as his thumb rubbed across her knuckle. "I know I have feelings for you, Steph, feelings that I never ever expected. And I'd like to explore those feelings, I really would."

Stephanie smiled.

"I just need to take this thing slowly." He licked his lips and cleared his throat. "Only if you want there to be a thing, of course." he hastily added as his apprehensive brown eyes searched her face.

Stephanie nodded her head as she brushed her fingers through his, intertwining them as they rested on his leg. Paul was acting so sweet and shy. It was one of many things she found extremely cute about him. "I'd like that." Her blue eyes glinted at him. "Although I'm not entirely sure what a thing is." she teased.

A slow grin crept across Paul's face. "Me neither."

"Maybe we'll just take our time in finding that one out."

"That sounds good to me." Paul smiled at her as he shifted closer towards her on the bed, their knees brushing together. His brown eyes twinkled at her. His face wore an arrogant smirk. "Think you can resist ravaging me until then?"

Stephanie felt the heat rush to her cheeks. Paul snorted with laughter. She let go of his hand and lightly smacked his arm. "You know, for your information, you're not that hard to resist."

"Is that so?" asked Paul as he grabbed hold of her arm. He stared at her intently. "I think you're lying to me McMahon. Maybe if I kissed you, I would find out the truth." His face moved closer towards her. Stephanie could feel his warm breath on her skin.

"Maybe you would." Stephanie swallowed thickly. Her tongue wet her dry lips. "Although I should really go for a shower otherwise we're going to miss breakfast."

Paul looked at her for a second. His thick fingers trailed lightly up her arm. "You probably should." he replied as his mouth hovered over hers. Their lips had barely touched when the knock at the door interrupted them.

"Paul, Stephanie, are you in there?"

Paul rolled his eyes as he reluctantly pulled away. "No so you can go away now."

"Don't make me come in there and kick your ass, little brother."

Paul grinned at Stephanie and shook his head. "She's delusional. She couldn't take me."

"Yeah but she's also hormonal so my advice to you would be to open up and let her in."

"Good point." nodded Paul as he let go of her hand and stood up from the bed. He chuckled as the door vibrated with Lynn's continued pounding. "I'm coming, I'm coming." He pulled open the door. He smiled at his sister who stood glaring at him. "If that door came off the hinges, you were paying for it." Paul stood aside to let her pass.

"With the money you make? I don't think so." retorted Lynn as she waved at Stephanie who was rummaging in her bag. "And put a shirt on, will you? We all know you have muscles, Paul. You don't have to continually flaunt it."

Paul made a face at her as he placed his hand on her back, ushering her into the room. "Well maybe I did have a shirt on. It wasn't my fault Steph ripped the damn thing off me."

Lynn snorted as she reached up and playfully pinched his cheek. "In your dreams, little brother. In your dreams."

Paul pretended to chuckle as he ruffled her hair. "So pray tell why do I have the displeasure of your company before I've even eaten breakfast?"

"You have to take us shopping."

He sighed heavily as he wandered across to the bed and picked up a white sleeved shirt casually thrown across the bottom. "No, Lynn. I'll take you for a drive. Hell, I'll even treat you to an expensive three course lunch but for the love of God, don't make me go shopping." His lips pouted as he pushed his arms through the long sleeves.

Lynn shook her head as she looked over in Stephanie's direction. "Does he always moan like this when you want to go to the mall?"

Stephanie shrugged her shoulders as she draped her robe across her arm. "Pretty much."

"But Paul, you have to take us." Lynn pleaded to her brother. "Blame the bitch. It's her fault."

Paul frowned as his clumsy fingers fumbled with the buttons on his shirt. "Why is me having to take you shopping Andrea's fault?"

"Well it's because of her stupid fucking idea that we have to wear lace and tiaras tonight. Unfortunately for me, I left my array of diamonte headgear at home." replied Lynn sarcastically.

"And what do you know? I forgot to bring mine too." said Stephanie as she stood beside his sister.

Paul looked between the pair of them as he stuffed his shirt in his jeans. "Well I'm not going." He flicked his hair over his collar. His brown eyes settled on Stephanie. "You can take the car."

Lynn gasped as she nudged Stephanie playfully. "He's giving you his car! Holy shit! It must be love."

Paul scowled at his sister as he bent down and picked up his boots.

"In all the time he was with Andrea, she never got to drive."

"Shut up Lynn." he replied as he sat down on the bed and pulled on his shoes. "And don't think for one second you're getting behind that wheel." As he tugged on the leg of his jeans, he smiled at Stephanie. "Lynn here introduced my brand new Explorer to the wall outside my house. On the second day I had it nonetheless. She doesn't get to drive."

Stephanie laughed as she backed towards the bathroom. "I'm going to grab that shower."

"I'm going to head downstairs with Lynn" said Paul as he stood up from the bed. "I'll see you down there?"

Stephanie nodded her head as Lynn headed towards the door. She was about to head into the bathroom when she felt his arm on her shoulder. She turned around to face him. His lips brushed against hers ever so softly.

"Don't be long, okay?"

Stephanie slowly nodded. There was something in his brown eyes that she almost forgot to breathe. "Okay."

The door closed shut behind them. Stephanie's finger lifted lightly tracing her wet lip. It had been the briefest of moments but she swore she had seen it. Paul's eyes had betrayed him and told her what his heart couldn't. He was falling for her. Now all she had to do was be patient and wait for him to let her in.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"Lace and fucking tiaras!" muttered Lynn as she stirred her soft blackcurrant drink with the pink plastic straw.

The ice cubes clinked against the frosted glass tumbler. The sound of loud laughter came from the group of young girls in the tables in the corner of the small club. The music changed to some up tempo tune and she began to absently nod her head to the beat of the music. Despite her protests at the glittering plastic headgear nestling in her soft blonde curls and her red lace vest top that showed way too much cleavage than she was used to, Lynn found she was actually enjoying herself. Of course successfully avoiding Andrea for most of the night had contributed to her good mood but that wasn't the only reason. She had spent the majority of the night talking and dancing with Stephanie and just getting to know her better. The more she learned about her, the more she realised she really liked the young woman that had seemed to have captured the heart of her little brother. She could see why she had. Stephanie was a genuinely sweet and funny person. She was so easy to get along with and seemed to be exactly what Paul needed especially after everything he had been through with Andrea. God knows he deserved some happiness in his life after what that bitch had done to him. Not only had she cheated on him, she had the fucking nerve to do it with family. No-one had a clue that she had been seeing their cousin. Three months it had been going on. Three months and nobody had suspected a thing, least of all Paul. The night he had caught them in Andrea's bed in her apartment, he had planned to surprise her and propose to her. He had surprised her all right and been totally devastated in the process. Paul had been in love with her. But although her brother had been hurt badly, in her opinion he had a lucky escape. Andrea was bad news and Nick was no better. They had more than proved that with what they had done to Paul. The pair of them were definitely more than welcome to one other.

Lynn's eyes scanned the crowded dance floor. The coloured lights flashed intermittently illuminating the bodies as they moved in time to the music. As she glanced towards the rest rooms to the right, she spotted Stephanie making her way towards her. Lynn smiled as she saw her totter unsteadily on her heels. The alcohol was obviously starting to take affect. A middle aged man hovering around the edge of the dance floor obviously liked what he saw as he watched her make her way back to the bar. His jaw was practically hitting the floor. Lynn couldn't blame him. Stephanie looked amazing in her black lace top and short skirt not to mention the long, slim legs that she personally would die for. The ogling man certainly appreciated them. Her baby brother had too. His eyes had practically bulged out of his head when Stephanie had walked down to the hotel lobby this evening. She swore it had taken him at least five minutes to form a coherent sentence.

"I got you another drink." Lynn said.

Stephanie grinned at her as she dumped her bag on the seat beside the bar. Her hand tucked a stray curl of hair behind her ear before she lifted the tall glass of vodka. She raised it towards Lynn. "Bottoms up!" She took a mouthful of her drink.

"Was that young girl still puking in there?"

Stephanie made a disapproving face as she swallowed her vodka. Her nose scrunched as she nodded her head. "I'm still amazed she has anything left to bring up and her friend is no better. She's practically lying out on the bathroom floor beside her."

Lynn snorted in disgust and looked over towards Andrea's table. She was sitting with her arm wrapped around some "friend" she knew from college. Instead of batting her eyelashes and giggling at him, she should have been in the bathrooms making sure the girls were okay. The one still hanging over the toilet bowl was her young cousin and she was barely legal. Not that Andrea cared. She didn't give a crap about anyone other than herself. She was so self absorbed and selfish. And to think at one time she had considered her a good friend. That was a fucking joke.

"Has your Mom left?"

Lynn nodded as she turned her attention back to Stephanie. "Her and Aunt Jane got a cab back to the hotel. Poor things." she said, smiling. "They just don't understand how people can dance to this racket. Now in their time……" Her voice trailed off as she laughed. All night her mother and her aunt had gone about the "good old days". They had seemed pretty nostalgic as they reminisced over the dances they had attended at the village hall on a Saturday night. There they had done the fox trot and tango. Hardly the moves found in this modern waterfront nightclub.

"Do you think your Dad will be enjoying himself?"

Lynn nodded her head as she placed her lips over her straw and took a sip of her drink. "Dad always enjoys himself. He likes to mingle with different people. Paul's a bit like that too."

Stephanie couldn't help the soft smile that traced her lips at the sound of his name. Paul. She hoped he was having a good time tonight. He had admitted to her before they left that he wasn't exactly looking forward to it. She couldn't blame him. It had to be awkward although both he and Nick seemed to be able to be civil to one another when they had to be. It was more than she could say for her and Andrea. Not that she wanted to be civil to her. Not in the least. She could still hear the condescending tone in her voice that day at the barbeque when she had accused her of being nothing but a gold digger. Apparently Paul had been livid when he had found out. Lynn had told her that tonight. She had also told her that he had told Andrea in no uncertain terms to stay the hell away from her. Stephanie had to give the bitch her dues. She hadn't said another word to her although that didn't stop her from sending hate filled glances in her direction. All night she had been throwing her venomous looks. She'd had to stop herself a few times from going over and asking the bitch what her problem was although she already knew the answer to that one. Andrea still wanted Paul. Pity she wasn't going to get him. Not while she had a breath left in her body. Paul was hers now. Her smile widened at that thought. She felt a rush of warmth as she remembered the kiss they had shared earlier before she had gotten out of the cab. It had been so tender and gentle and had left her wanting so much more.

"You're doing it again."

Stephanie looked at Lynn curiously.

"You're off in your own little world. You're thinking about my brother, aren't you?" smiled Lynn.

Stephanie didn't even try to hide her grin as she nodded her head.

"Personally, I don't get the attraction. You know he was a snivelling brat when he was little?"

Stephanie smiled as she placed her glass to her mouth and sipped her drink.

"I also caught him playing with my Barbie doll once. Well I say playing. It was more examining her really. He'll deny it of course." Lynn said placing her glass down on the bar. As she shifted to lean on the metal rail, she noticed the group of men at the entrance door. A soft smile traced her own lips as she spotted the familiar face of her husband. "Well would you look at who's here."

Stephanie turned around curiously and she raised her eyebrows fractionally as she saw Nick and his father walk in the direction of the bar. Her fingers picked at a loose thread on her halter top. She quickly glanced over at Andrea's table. She smirked to herself as she noticed she was no longer pawing at the guy sitting next to her. It looked like her flirtatious games were over for the night. Her eyes left Andrea and quickly scanned the group of men looking for Paul. She felt a pang of disappointment when she saw he wasn't with them. She turned back to the bar and smiled at Lynn.

"I never expected them to show up here."

"I did." Lynn waved at her husband and grinned as she got his attention. Her eyes fell back on Stephanie. "I think Nick has trust issues. God knows why!" she said rolling her eyes sarcastically.

Stephanie laughed as she lifted her hand and summoned the bar tender. She needed another drink. She turned her head and saw Lynn embrace her husband. Sighing she glanced towards the cherry wood counter and wondered where Paul had gone. Probably back to the hotel. It wasn't like he had anywhere else to go. Maybe he had gone back with his dad. She hadn't seen him arrive here either. Stephanie absently tapped her fingers to the music. She wished the bar tender would hurry up although right now she was seriously tempted to jump in a cab and go back to the hotel. God, she was pathetic. She couldn't be without Paul even for a couple of hours. She was like some love sick puppy pining after him. She was missing him.

"Come here often Princess?"

Stephanie's face erupted into a huge smile as she heard his deep, smooth tone in her ear. She could feel him leaning into her as he playfully tugged at the plastic tiara on the top of her head. Her body was tingling all over. Paul was here. Christ, he smelled incredible. His spicy scent infiltrated her senses. She spun on her heel and turned to face him. Her chest rubbed against his arm. She felt her heart flip as he flashed that unbelievable smile her way. His eyes looked into hers and for a second she stopped breathing. He was gorgeous. Her hand automatically reached up and pushed a loose soft strand from his face. "Do you know that's the cheesiest line I have heard all night?"

Paul rested his hands on her hips and smiled at her. Stephanie's hand fell from his face to rest on the arm of his white dress shirt. He couldn't help but notice the slightly glazed look in her wide blue eyes. "And just how many cheesy lines have you heard tonight?"

"Oh I've heard plenty of them."

Paul chuckled. "Plenty huh?"

Stephanie nodded her head. Her finger traced the length of his bicep. She stared into his beautiful brown eyes. "All from one guy too. He claimed to be the king of the pick-up line." She began chuckling to herself. "You should have seen him, Paul. He was at least fifty years old and both his front teeth were missing but you had to love him for trying."

Paul laughed as he took a loose strand of her hair in his hand, absently twirling it around his finger. He didn't know why but he continuously wanted to touch her. It just felt so natural when they were together. God knows she was all he could think about tonight. Stephanie was constantly on his mind. He just loved being with her. She was like a breath of fresh air after all the loneliness and the heartache he had endured. When he was with her he truly believed he could be happy again.

"Dance with me?"

Paul shook his head, his soft blonde hair moving across his shoulders. "Oh I don't really do dancing."

"Please?" Stephanie's blue eyes went wide as she took hold of his hand and tugged on it gently. She tilted her head downwards, her red glossy lips pouting at him. The coloured lights in the club danced across her face.

"Stop giving me the eyes, McMahon. They're not going to work."

She tilted her head to the side this time. Her eyes were pleading with him.

"Damnit, okay. Once dance and that's it! I mean it." he said, caving.

Stephanie grinned at him and began pulling him in the direction of the dance floor. He rolled his eyes and mentally scolded himself for being so damn weak although deep down Paul knew it had been inevitable. He found it impossible to deny Stephanie anything. God help him if he ever did let her into his heart. He would be done for. But as she pulled him towards her and their eyes connected with one another, he wondered if she wasn't already starting to creep her way in.

"Come here." Stephanie said sliding her arms around his neck as the music changed to a slow swaying rhythm. She smiled at him gently before resting her head into the crook of his neck. Paul wrapped his arms around her and held her close as they began to move in time to the music. His eyes closed briefly as he enjoyed the feel of her body pressed against his. He could feel the heat of her skin through the material of his shirt. His big hand moved slowly up and down her back as he placed a gentle kiss in her hair.

"You know you look amazing tonight." he breathed into her ear.

Stephanie lifted her head and looked at him shyly. He wore a gentle expression in his brown eyes. His lips were pressed together in a smile.

"Without a doubt, you are the most beautiful woman in this room." said Paul as his hand reached up and his fingertips lightly traced her cheek.

Her lips upturned in a lop- sided grin. Stephanie swallowed thickly as she looked into his eyes. She felt herself get lost in them. In him. She wasn't even aware of the people dancing around about them. The music was nothing more than a hazy noise in the background. It was if they were the only two people in the room. Just her and Paul. The rest of the world had disappeared in that brief moment.

"How do you do it?" she asked, smiling at him.

"Do what?"

"Make me always want to smile?"

"Well Miss McMahon, you've probably consumed enough alcohol to sink a small vessel. That's probably why." Paul replied teasingly.

"Probably." she agreed. Her blue eyes twinkled at him. "And it's just as well really. It helps numb the pain every time you stand on my toes."

Paul chuckled as he glanced down at her open toed sandals. "Well you can't say I didn't warn you. I told you I don't do dancing."

He felt Stephanie rest her head against him once more. His arm encircled her waist. The curls piled loosely on the top of her head softly tickled his face as they continued to dance.

"It's nice to see him so happy. He deserves it so much." commented Lynn to her husband, holding onto his arm and smiling as they watched Paul and Stephanie together. "By the way, you tell him that and I'll kill you."

"I wouldn't dream of it." Adam smiled as he bent over and kissed his wife's cheek. He affectionately rubbed her rounded stomach. Paul and Lynn bickered constantly even acting at times like they couldn't stand one another. But it was all an act. Anyone could see that. The pair of them were extremely close. They were also fiercely protective of one another. God forbid anyone who hurt either sibling.

"I was worried about him this weekend you know."

Adam frowned as he placed his bottle of beer on the bar. "Why?"

Lynn sighed as she turned away from the dance floor. She pushed aside her glass as she leant back against the bar. Her feet were killing her but she didn't want to sit down. She felt so tired. There was every chance she would close her eyes and fall asleep. "Because of her." she replied as she stared across at Andrea.

She was talking to Nick. Her "friend" from earlier was now gone. He'd made a quick exit. There was no surprise there.

"Andrea?"

Lynn nodded her head. "I don't know why but I always felt she still had some kind of hold on Paul. I guess I thought that once he saw her again, she'd find a way to convince him to forgive her."

"But that didn't happen."

"No. Not yet at least."

Adam wrapped his arm around his wife and he felt her lean into him. His lips brushed softly against her temple. "Come on. You know nothing is going to happen. Paul is with Stephanie now and he's happy. You said so yourself."

"I know." she sighed. "I just can't help but worry though."

"You always worry."

Lynn was about to reply when she saw Andrea out of the corner of her eye. She was standing at the bar less then four feet away. Her pretty face wore a slight frown as she looked out towards the dance floor. Lynn turned towards her and smirked unable to resist the opportunity. She ignored Adam's hissed warning to drop it against her ear.

"You know it's a funny thing. I don't know if I can ever recall seeing Paul on a dance floor when he was with you."

Andrea snarled angrily in Lynn's direction. She wasn't in the mood for her smart fucking comments. She was already pissed off thanks to Nick and his incessant need to check up on her. He wasn't supposed to be here tonight. Neither was Paul. She felt a pang in her chest as she glanced over at him again briefly. "He's going to get burned." she stated matter-of-factly as her smoky grey eyes settled on her former friend. "Then we'll see how fucking smug you are."

"Shut up Andrea. You're just a jealous bitch." said Lynn as she shook off her husband's hand as he tried to pull her back. She took a step closer to Andrea. She could feel the red mist descending just looking at her. Andrea was standing there sneering at her with her thin, bony hands resting on her hips.

"Jealous? And why the fuck would I be jealous of her? She's nothing but a parasite looking for a fucking meal ticket"

"What? Like you were?" Andrea glanced away for a brief second. Lynn sneered at her. "That's right, Andrea. You'd conveniently forgotten about the money you begged Paul to give you to start up your little health and beauty business."

"I didn't beg him for that money. He gave it to me."

"Yeah but only after you'd broke down in tears going on and on about your stupid little pipe dream night after night until he couldn't take it any more."

Andrea pointed her manicured finger in Lynn's direction. "That's not true. He wanted me to have that money."

"Only so he could get you to finally shut up!" Lynn's chest rose and fell with her heavy breathing. Her brown eyes narrowed as she looked in Andrea's direction. She was subconsciously aware of the music changing in the background. "And for your information, Stephanie is nothing like you. She makes Paul happy. She's a damn sight better for him than you ever were."

"Yeah? She'll bleed him dry. Mark my words although Paul will probably deserve it if she does. He's the stupid idiotic bastard that will keep giving her his money."

Lynn was seething with anger as she wrapped her hand around her drink that sat on the bar. Without a second's hesitation she threw her half-full glass in Andrea's direction. She smiled in satisfaction as Andrea stood here, her mouth opened wide in shock. She heard her husband's amused snicker just behind her.

"You bitch!" screamed Andrea as the purple liquid seeped through the white lace material. Her hands tugged at the bottom hem pulling it away from her body. She glared angrily in the direction of Lynn, practically speechless at what she had done.

"I'm warning you. Don't ever insult my brother again." said Lynn pointing at her. Andrea snarled at her before roughly pushing past her and stomping off in the direction of her friends.

"You could cause a ruckus in an empty room."

Lynn turned her head to see Paul standing just behind Adam. He wore an unfathomable expression in his brown eyes as he brought Stephanie's hand up to his lips and placed a soft kiss on her knuckles. She couldn't tell if he was amused or pissed off at her. Paul had a wicked sense of humour. He just sometimes lost it when Andrea was involved. Then again that bitch used to have him wound up so tight at times she thought he would crack. He'd also warned her beforehand to behave herself tonight. Paul had his pride. His ego couldn't take his sister handling his battles for him. Not in public. But what he forgot was that it was also partly her battle. Andrea had been a good friend once upon a time. She was hurt and angry at her too.

"Mom and Dad never could take her anywhere you know." said Paul as he dropped Stephanie's hand and wandered across and stood beside her at the bar. His brown eyes twinkled as he playfully nudged her with his arm.

Lynn grinned as she playfully nudged him back. "Quit telling tales and get me a drink. I seem to have spilled my last one."

Paul shook his head and laughed as he turned towards the bar tender. Fortunately it looked like the old man had missed all the action being that he was more than happy to serve him and he also gave Lynn a smile as she stood next to her brother.

"So what was that all about anyway?"

Lynn shrugged her shoulder as she picked up a slightly damp beer mat and flipped it over between her fingers.

"What did she say to you? She obviously provoked you." said Paul. He rested his elbow against the wood as he leant on the bar.

"She had a pop at you and Stephanie. I couldn't help myself." she sighed as she placed the mat back down on the scratched wooden surface.

"You shouldn't let her get to you."

"Really? Maybe you should be taking your own advice."

Paul sighed as he shifted his feet against the dirty wooden floor. He saw Lynn looking at him. He knew she had made a valid point. Up until this weekend he had let Andrea get to him in more ways than one. Because of her, he hadn't moved on with his life. He had been stuck in a rut, lonely and miserable, for the better part of a year because in a way he had let her have control of his emotions. He had still thought he loved her. A small part of him had always dwelled on what could have been between them. And of course her fucking mind games hadn't helped the situation. She had pursued him at every opportunity begging him to forgive her and give her another chance. And the fucked up thing was he probably would have – up until a few days ago. Being forced to be around her had shown in her a new light. He realised Andrea wasn't the girl he had fallen in love with. Maybe she never had been. Maybe he had idealised her in his mind not quite ready to let her go but not any more. He knew without a doubt that he didn't love her any more. Things were over between them. He was sure of that. He was surer than he had ever been. He had been stuck in an emotional rut for way too long. He was ready to move on with his life. Slowly.

"Somehow Stephanie has managed to drag my husband onto the dance floor."

Paul smiled as he looked over in their direction. Stephanie's head was thrown back in laughter. She was always so happy. It was contagious. He felt happy every time he was around her. She was like a good mood pill. One that he was sure he could slowly become addicted to. "He never stood a chance. Stephanie can be very persuasive when she has to be."

"She'd have to be to get you out there dancing." she said as she watched Paul laugh and remove his wallet from his back trouser pocket. "You know I reckon Stephanie could be the best thing to ever happen to you."

Paul said nothing as he handed over the money for the drinks. His big hand pushed back his long blonde hair. He tugged at his shirt adjusting it before reaching over and grabbing his beer. He leant against the bar as he watched Stephanie dance. She laughed again as she bumped her hips against Adam. The five thousand dollars flashed through his mind. It was hard to believe that Stephanie had started out solely as a business transaction. The money had been a small price to pay for happiness if he managed to find it with her. Part of him desperately believed that he had found it. The other part of him – the part driven by fear that he would be hurt again – wouldn't allow him to. Not yet anyway. But there wasn't any rush. They had plenty of time. In the meantime, he was just going to enjoy being with Stephanie, getting to know everything about her. For some reason that was important to him. Stephanie meant a lot to him. He wanted to this properly standing a better chance of getting it right. He wasn't going to let anything – or anyone – screw this up for him.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Paul's eyelids slowly fluttered open and he lay there in bed disorientated for a second. A thin shaft of sunlight poked through the closed curtains. There was some sort of banging coming from the hallway. Paul groaned as he rolled slowly on to his back. The covers tangled between his long toned legs. Whatever the fuck that noise was, it needed to stop. His head was pounding perfectly fine all on its own without any help from anyone. His lips parted and his tongue felt thick. He grimaced as the banging continued.

"Paul? Are you there?"

His brown eyes widened at the sound of her muffled voice. His head rolled to the side and he noticed the empty pillow beside him. Stephanie was obviously the one banging the door down. He wished to fuck that she would remember the damn key when she left the room.

"Paul?"

"Just a second." he called out.

His throat sounded dry. He threw back the covers and shuffled towards the door. Pushing back his hair, he felt his stomach churn. He shouldn't have drank those damn shots but that bastard Adam wouldn't take no for an answer. He'd plied him with god knows how many before the end of the night. With any luck, he'd be feeling like total shit too this morning. Fumbling with the handle, Paul pulled open the door. His heavy eyes took in her running gear and flushed complexion. He shook his head.

"You're fucking nuts."

Leaving the door open, he shuffled back to bed. His big hand lifted to rub at his temple as he heard the door close over behind him.

"Aren't you the little ray of sunshine this morning." called Stephanie cheerily. Paul grimaced and held up his hand to silence her.

"Do you have to be so damn loud?" he said.

His body practically collapsed to the bed and he lay out spread eagled across the covers. Paul heard Stephanie's laughter and her footsteps as she crossed the room. He scowled. He was glad she found the whole thing so damn amusing. He sure as hell didn't and he didn't appreciate being woken up either. Paul closed his eyes as Stephanie began rummaging around in the bathroom. His big arm grabbed a pillow and he placed it over his head. His left knee bent towards his chest and he sighed heavily.

"Here. I got you these." said Stephanie as she left the bathroom.

She clasped the paracetemol in her hand. A smile traced her lips as she saw Paul on the bed. The poor guy was hung over and it was little wonder. God knows how much he had drank last night. Every time she'd looked in his direction, he'd been at the bar with Adam as they downed one shot after another. They'd clearly been on a mission to get loaded and had succeeded. They'd sung one tune after another in the ride home in the cab. Adam had even serenaded his wife much to Paul's amusement. His endless ribbing had earned him a smack across the head from Lynn. When they'd finally made it to the room, Paul had passed out cold. She'd been more than content to lie in the darkness and just hold him.

"Paul?"

Stephanie took a bottle of water from the small fridge by the window. She pulled open the curtains and daylight flooded the room. It was a beautiful morning. The bright sunshine always invigorated her. Turning on her heel, Stephanie slowly approached the bed. Paul was on his front wearing only a pair of black shorts. Her blue eyes admired his broad, muscular back. The rays of sun fell gently on his skin. His body really was incredible. It was so firm yet when he held her it was soft and comforting. It felt like the safest place on earth being in his arms. There was nowhere else she wanted to be. Sitting down on the bed, she placed the water and the paracetemol bottle in her lap. The mattress shifted underneath her as she moved closer to him.

"Paul, are you awake?" Stephanie smiled to herself as he grunted a response. Her hand reached out and touched the long blonde strands that sat beneath the large pillow. Her fingers brushed through them and she felt his shoulders rise and fall as he sighed deeply.

"What time is it?" he asked thickly. Paul's head turned to the side. The pillow dropped away partially revealing his face hidden behind his hair.

"Almost nine." she replied as her hand rested on his back, her thumb lightly grazing the warm skin.

"Shit. I should really move."

"We've still got an hour to get breakfast."

Paul groaned loudly. "God, no. I couldn't stomach it."

Stephanie laughed. Paul's hand swatted away the pillow. He pushed back his hair from his face and scowled at her.

"It's not funny. I feel like shit." Paul rolled onto his back. His eyes squinted in the sunlight and he threw his arm across them to block it out.

"Well you will over indulge." teased Stephanie as she lifted the bottle of water from her lap. Smirking, she placed it on his chest and moved to avoid his arm as he visibly jumped. He sat up on the bed catching the bottle of water as it fell.

"Fuck. That's freezing." he growled as he turned his head and glared at her. Her body was shaking with laughter. He shook his head and his lips quivered as he tried to conceal his smile. "You're one cruel and twisted chick. I'm dying here, you know. The least you could do is show me a little sympathy."

Stephanie laughed as she got up from the bed. Her hand adjusted her white vest top and she placed her left hand on her hip. "You're pathetic, Paul." She tossed him the paracetemol bottle. "Here. Take a couple of those." He caught them in his hand. "It might stop your whining."

"You know I was going to take you with me but I think I'll leave you here." said Paul as he opened the bottle and shook out the tablets in his hand.

"Why? Where are we going?" she asked, intrigued.

As far as she knew they had nothing planned until this evening and Paul hadn't mentioned anything before now. She watched as he popped the pills into his mouth. Screwing the lid off the water bottle he took a drink and swallowed.

"It's top secret." he said before taking another long drink.

Stephanie admired his thick neck as he tilted his head back. She'd kissed his throat last night just before he'd passed out. Her tongue had tasted the mixture of his skin and his cologne.

"You have to swear not to tell." he said as he placed the top back on the bottle and winked at her.

"Why? You still haven't said where we are going." she said curiously. She folded her arms across her chest. She watched Paul swing his legs over the bed and get to his feet. His shorts hung low against his hips. His big hand absently scratched at his stomach as he placed the bottles on the nightstand.

"Boston." he said simply as he walked past her into the bathroom.

Stephanie's eyes were wide as she looked at him. She turned and followed him leaning against the doorframe. "Boston?" she asked.

Paul nodded his head as he lifted his toothbrush and stood in front of the basin. He turned on the water and tried to ignore the nausea in his stomach. His red bloodshot eyes still desperately craved sleep. Unfortunately that wasn't an option for him.

"Why Boston?" asked Stephanie.

Paul cleared his throat and turned his head to look at her. Loose strands of hair had escaped from her messy ponytail. As she stood there in the doorway, he couldn't help but notice how pretty she looked. Her chest poked out temptingly from her tight little top. God knows lying next to her every night was testing his resolve. There was no point in denying that he wanted her. However, his fear at fucking up far outweighed his need to get laid. He had to take this thing slowly for both of their sakes. "I thought I'd take you for lunch."

He saw Stephanie's forehead furrow. Her nose scrunched up cutely as she took a couple of steps closer. "It's a long way to go for lunch."

Paul shrugged his shoulders. He casually lifted the toothpaste.

"Unless of course there was business involved."

Paul couldn't help but smile as he turned towards her. She had an amused look on her face. He had to admit the girl was sharp. It was one of the things he liked about her.

"It would also explain why it's a secret." she continued.

Paul chuckled and conceded defeat. "I have to sign a contract today. If Mom found out, she would kill me."

"But it's Saturday."

Paul nodded his head and tucked a lock of hair behind his ear. "You know the guy from California that called a couple of nights back? Well, he's flying in especially to sign and today was the only day he could make it. I couldn't let him down."

"That's because you're a workaholic." she teased.

Paul stuck out his tongue and leaning against the porcelain basin, he squeezed some toothpaste on his brush.

"So when do we have to leave?"

"As soon as possible. So scoot woman and leave me in peace." He paused for a second and smirked. His tired brown eyes suddenly sprung to life. "Unless of course you wanted to save time and shower together."

Stephanie felt the heat rise to her cheeks. Swallowing thickly, she shook her head and left. Damn him. He always knew exactly how to get her flustered. As she closed the door behind her, she heard his deep laughter.

Three hours later they were pulling into the underground car park at Paul's office. Stephanie carefully manoeuvred the vehicle into a car parking space. The brightly lit lot was silent and empty. She switched off the engine and pulled the key from the ignition.

"Thanks for driving." said Paul as he shifted in the seat. The leather creaked underneath him. His hair was pulled back into a neat ponytail. She could see her reflection in his dark sunglasses. "There was no way I was fit to get behind that wheel."

"Still feeling rough?" she asked as her hand rested on his thick thigh. Paul's earlier attempt at perkiness had rapidly disappeared. He'd slept for most of the journey. She'd had to waken him to get directions to the office.

"A little. I'm hungry though. Hopefully this won't take long and we can grab something to eat." His hand covered hers and he squeezed it. "Ready to go?"

Stephanie nodded her head and got out of the car. She pressed the key and the lights flashed as the lock clicked.

"The elevator is just this way." he said as he reached out and took her hand.

Stephanie smiled as his fingers slid through hers. He didn't let go as they stepped out onto his office floor. Their footsteps echoed in the silence. Her blue eyes admired the modern décor as they passed through what was obviously the reception area. A huge vase of flowers sat behind the desk.

"It was Audrey's birthday last week." Paul explained as they walked along a wide spacious corridor. Various rooms aligned the carpeted hallway. There was a large wooden door right at the end. Stephanie could make out his name on the mounted plaque. She smiled as he twisted the handle.

"What does the M stand for?"

"Michael." Paul said as he guided her inside. He let go of her hand and pulled his cell phone from his jeans pocket. He removed his glasses and threaded the leg over the neck of his navy polo shirt.

Stephanie smiled in approval as she took in the impressive surroundings. The walls were coloured cream. Vertical blinds adorned the large glass window. An oak desk sat in the centre of the spacious room. She spotted the mini bar he had mentioned to her over in the corner. "This is one hell of a nice broom closet." she said as she wandered across to the window.

Paul chuckled as he placed his phone down on his desk. "I like it."

"Who wouldn't?" Stephanie looked down at the busy street below. There were cars and pedestrians scattered everywhere. She raised her eyes and took in her surroundings. The sun shone brightly above the high rise buildings adorning the sky line. "I love the view." she said as she turned towards Paul. He glanced up from the papers he was holding and smiled. "You can see everything from up here. What floor are we on again?"

"The twentieth." said Paul.

Stephanie nodded her head. Just then his cell phone rang out. She saw him frown and placing his papers down, he picked it up from the desk. His huge arm bulged as he placed the phone to his ear.

"Hello?"

As she wandered over to the bar, she spotted a small round table and chairs in the bottom corner of the room. She imagined Paul held his meetings there. She wondered how many deals he had concluded. She knew he was extremely successful. She would imagine he would also be well respected. Paul didn't seem the type of guy that would ruthlessly screw his clients. Everything would be conducted in a professional yet friendly manner.

"It's no problem. I'll see you in an hour."

Stephanie turned towards Paul. He hung up and placing his phone in his pocket, he smiled at her.

"Rick is running late. His flight was delayed." He stepped out from behind the desk. "You want to get something to eat? You must be hungry."

Stephanie nodded her head. She hadn't had time for breakfast. She'd only sipped at the coffee she'd purchased at the gas station.

"Unfortunately it will have to be quick. The deli down the road is good."

"Sounds fine to me."

"In that case, shall we?" he smiled, gesturing towards the door. His hand was warm against her back as he guided her out into the corridor. He took her hand once more as they stepped into the elevator.

Ten minutes later she was sitting in the small park just around the corner. The warm rays from the sun beat down on her face. The place was busy with people enjoying the lovely weather. A small child ran past her with a balloon tied to his hand. Stephanie smiled as she stretched her long legs out in front of her. Her mind began to drift as she enjoyed her surroundings. It took her a few seconds to realise that the muffled ringing was coming from her bag. She reached into it and pulled out her phone. She frowned as she saw the name that scrolled across her screen. Ethan. Shit. What the hell was he calling for? And what on earth was she going to say to him. She felt a stab of guilt in the pit of her stomach. He honestly hadn't crossed her mind since yesterday. She was so wrapped up in Paul it was easy to forget him. And as cruel as it sounded, she knew it was the truth. Ethan didn't exist. Not in the last four days. It was if she was somebody else living another life. And actually she was. She was pretending to be Paul's girlfriend. It was her job to pretend she loved him. But somewhere in between the pretence was becoming a reality. God knows it had never been her intention to let Paul into her heart. But it had happened and she was completely powerless to stop it. Ethan was just a casualty of the feelings she had for Paul. The sooner she could be honest and end things between them, the better. It was only fair to him. Ethan didn't deserve any of this. The phone continued to ring out as Stephanie chewed on her lip. Her thumb hovered over the buttons debating whether to answer.

"Nuisance call?"

Stephanie jumped out of her skin as Paul sat beside her on the bench. It shifted under his weight. His arm brushed against hers. Her trembling finger quickly ended the call. "Yes." she said breathlessly. She cleared her throat and tried her best to compose herself.

"I get those all the time. It's usually my mother." he chuckled.

Stephanie smiled and switched off her phone. Her heart was racing in her chest. "I don't know who it was. I didn't recognise the number."

"I don't blame you for not answering. It was probably some asshole trying to sell you something." said Paul as he reached into the large bag balancing on his leg. He pulled out a wrapped package and handed it to her. His bright smile caused butterflies to flutter in her chest and suddenly Ethan was forgotten.

"Thank you." she said. She opened the sandwich. A smile traced her lips as she saw what he had ordered. Chicken on rye. He had remembered her favourite. As she glanced up towards him, she wondered if he was too good to be true. Sometimes she felt he had to be.

"And one Pepsi for the lady." Paul held out the can towards her. Stephanie smiled as she took the drink.

"I must say I'm very impressed."

Paul placed the bag on the bench beside him and taking off his sunglasses, he winked at her. "You're meant to be."

She looked away shyly and picked up her sandwich. Her smile lingered as she began to eat. She heard the sound of a plane overhead. A bunch of kids went screaming past on their rollerblades.

"I hate those damn things."

Stephanie tilted her head towards him. Paul's brow was furrowed as he chewed his food. "Another experience from hell?" she teased remembering a previous comment about a less than successful camping trip.

Paul chuckled as he turned towards her. His brown eyes twinkled. "You could say that."

"Can I ask what happened?"

Paul nodded his head. "Hold this for a second."

He handed her his sandwich. Their fingers brushed together as she took it from his hand. Curious, she watched as he lifted up his leg. He pulled up his jeans placing his boot on the edge of the bench.

"See that?" he asked peering at it. His finger pointed at a neat white scar just below his knee cap. "I tripped over some branch that had fallen across the corner of a pathway. I split my knee open and had to get seven stitches."

"Aw, you poor baby." Stephanie replied, her voice bubbling with laughter as she examined the scar. She heard Paul snort indignantly as he pulled down the leg of his jeans.

"You could at least have the decency to try and not sound like you're mocking me."

Stephanie snorted as she tried to contain her laughter. Her wide blue eyes sparkled at him as her lips trembled at the corners. "I am not. I'm being genuine."

"Genuine, my fucking ass." he said as he grabbed back his sandwich.

Stephanie's body shook with her laughter as she pushed back the ring on her can and took a sip of her drink.

"Try not to choke on it." Paul nudged her with his shoulder.

She snorted and then spluttered as the drink trickled down her chin. His deep laughter carried across the grassy park. Stephanie smacked his arm as she bent over and placed her drink on the ground.

"Napkin?"

She straightened up to see Paul grinning at her. He was holding out a white paper napkin towards her. Unable to stop herself, she grinned back at him. "You're an idiot." she said as she took it and dabbed at her chin.

"For that you're not getting dessert." he retorted.

Stephanie's eyes stared at him widely. "You got dessert?"

Paul nodded. "Cheesecake."

"Oh my God! Give it to me."

Paul laughed as she tried to reach across him and scramble for the bag. His big hand deliberately shoved it further away as he turned his body shielding her from it. Her arms stretched across him. This girl was really nuts. He'd never met anyone who went crazy over a tiny piece of cheesecake. Then again, he'd never really met anyone like Stephanie before. She was unique. She made him laugh. He always had fun when he was with her. He had never like been this with Andrea. God forbid she would cut loose and enjoy herself. Things had always been so serious between them.

"Give it up Levesque." said Stephanie as she playfully smacked his arm.

"You're the one that should be giving up. You know you're going to lose." Paul heard her sigh heavily. Her body moved away from him. Smiling triumphantly, he settled back against the bench. As his teeth bit into his sandwich he saw her stand up from the bench and grab the bag. "Hey!" he called out as he dropped his lunch and chased after her.

Stephanie laughed as the bag dangled from her hand. Her high heels sunk into the soft grass as she ran. It slowed her down and it was only a matter of seconds before she felt Paul's big arms wrap around her.

"You're one sneaky broad." he chuckled.

Stephanie's body tingled as he breathed against her ear. He still held on to her tightly. His chin rested gently on her shoulder. She could feel his thumb trail slowly up her side. It paused for a second before it trailed back down again.

"You smell nice." he said softly.

Stephanie swallowed thickly. The blood was beating in her ears. She could feel his warm breath against her face. Tilting her head slightly, she turned to face him. Her heart flipped as their eyes connected with one another. He had that look. The one that made her almost forget to breathe.

"Can I ask you something?"

Stephanie nodded her head and smiled. She licked her lips becoming painfully aware that his mouth had moved a little closer. Suddenly she forgot they were in the middle of a park. It was if they were the only two people who existed in that moment. Paul was all that mattered.

"I know this whole thing has been crazy. You know with our arrangement and all." he said carefully. "But I was wondering, like when this whole wedding this is over….." Paul paused for a second. He seemed nervous as his lips pressed together in an awkward smile. Stephanie watched him anxiously. Her heart was thumping loudly in her chest. "Can I take you to dinner next weekend?"

A slow smile crossed Stephanie's face as she nodded her head. "I'd like that. I'd like that a lot." she said. Her head tilted down shyly. Paul nuzzled against her cheek and she felt her legs get weak.

"I want to do this right, Steph." His lips kissed her cheek softly.

"Me too." she whispered as his mouth closed over hers and he kissed her.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

The wheels crunched loudly against the gravel as the car skidded to a stop in the hotel parking lot. Stephanie could hardly contain her giggling as Paul quickly got out of the car. She snorted and her shoulders shook as she bent down to retrieve her bag from the floor. When she straightened up, he already had her door open. She could see Paul glancing anxiously towards the hotel. For a big guy, it was funny to see him so panicked. They were ridiculously late getting back from Boston and they were supposed to be meeting his family in the bar twenty minutes ago. Paul's meeting had been successful but had overrun by two hours and not only that, the traffic accident on the freeway had held them up even further.

"We were nowhere near Boston or the office this afternoon. Okay?" said Paul as Stephanie got out of the car.

She nodded and he closed the door over behind her. The lights flashed as he locked the car behind them. As he took hold of Stephanie's hand, he noticed she was laughing. He shook his head and smiled as they began to walk briskly to the hotel. The early evening sun shone brightly in the sky above them.

"It's not funny you know. I'm going to get my ass kicked for being late." His thick fingers pushed his sunglasses up his nose as they walked through the heavy glass double doors. The lobby was empty. Paul let out a sigh of relief. "Thank fuck. I was expecting to get lynched when we got here."

Stephanie laughed as they made their way to the staircase. The worried voice stopped them in their tracks.

"Paul, where on earth have you been?"

"Shit!" he mumbled as he grimaced and turned to face his mother who was standing directly in front of them. Stephanie stifled her laughter and tried to keep a straight face. For some reason this whole situation was extremely hilarious to her. Maybe it was down to the five glasses of champagne she had drunk this afternoon. Rick from California insisted on sealing the deal with a couple of bottles of the finest Dom Perignon. It would have been extremely rude not to join in his little celebration.

"I tried calling you earlier but I couldn't get through." said Patricia.

"My battery died on me." lied Paul as he took off his sunglasses and threaded the leg over the neck of his polo shirt. "We got stuck in a traffic accident on the way back here. That's why we're so late."

"Where did you go?"

"Just for a drive." shrugged Paul. His feet shifted against the plush carpet. "Steph has never been in this neck of the woods before. I offered to show her the sights."

Patricia nodded surprisingly satisfied with his answer. "Well, you need to hurry up and get a move on. Aunt Jane has invited us all over for the wedding rehearsal dinner."

"What? You've got to be joking!" scowled Paul. His hand smoothed over his neat pony tail.

"Unfortunately not. She called us this morning. You were already gone by that time." Patricia smiled sympathetically. She reached over and patted her son's arm. "But you don't have to go if it makes you feel uncomfortable."

Paul sighed heavily as he rubbed at his forehead. God knows it was the last place he wanted to be, at a fucking wedding rehearsal dinner. Why the hell were they invited anyway? They weren't in the wedding party. They were just the poor souls who had to sit and suffer through the whole thing. It was an absolute farce as far as he was concerned and just another excuse for Andrea to be the centre of attention of course. Christ, that bitch was full of herself. Trust her to turn this thing into a damn five day extravaganza. Anyone would think she was something special instead of a whore who couldn't keep her legs shut.

"Secretly I think Aunt Jane wants to torture us by making us spend yet another meal with bitch-face." said Lynn as she emerged from the hotel bar. She smiled widely at Paul and Stephanie. Her hand rested against her rounded stomach. "I don't intend to suffer alone, you know. The pair of you have to come tonight if only to wind her up and rub your relationship in her ugly face."

"Lynn." warned Patricia.

"What?" she smirked widely. "I'm only saying."

Stephanie smiled and shrugged her shoulders as she turned to Paul. "I'm quite happy to go if you are."

His frown creased his brow as her wide blue eyes sparkled at him brightly. Stephanie was probably just being polite by agreeing to go. God knows how she actually felt about enduring another night with Andrea. He couldn't help but worry about her. This went above and beyond just accompanying him to a wedding. He'd probably have to pay her double to ease the pain. Not that the money had anything to do with it. He just hated the position this put her in. All night long, she'd have to endure Andrea's dirty looks and any catty comments she cared to throw her way. And while Stephanie took it in her stride, he knew it had to hurt. But he was determined to protect her from it. If the vindictive bitch even breathed in Stephanie's direction, he was going to come down on her like a tonne of bricks. He was sick and tired of Andrea's little fucking mind games.

"What do you say little brother? Come on. You have to go." pleaded Lynn. "I mean, you don't want to give Andrea the satisfaction of not turning up, do you?"

Paul shook his head and smiled at her. "Stop trying to manipulate me, Lynn."

"Then just say you'll come."

"Only if it will shut you up." he teased.

"I promise not to say another word." she replied pretending to zip her mouth.

Patricia smiled at her son. "The meal starts at eight so it should give you plenty of time to change. Your father and I are leaving now. We'll see you there honey." She reached up and kissed him on the cheek.

"Adam and I will wait for you in the bar." said Lynn as she followed on behind her mother.

Paul sighed as he turned and climbed the staircase. He smiled at the elderly couple who passed by them and his hand searched for Stephanie's as they walked along the corridor. The sound of a child screaming came from behind one of the doors. He knew exactly how the kid felt. He had looked forward to having a relaxing night tonight before having to suffer through the wedding tomorrow. No such luck and his hangover still continued to linger. His head was thumping. He needed some aspirin. Paul stood aside as Stephanie slid the key card into the lock.

"Why didn't we just stay in Boston this afternoon?" he frowned as he entered the hotel room throwing his keys and sunglasses down on the bed. "I'm really not in the mood for this." His big hand rubbed at the back of his thick neck.

"It's awkward for you, huh?"

Paul shook his head and turned to face her. The sunlight streamed through the open window and her chestnut hair was flecked with gold as she smiled at him. "It's not that. I'm just getting sick of the whole damn thing. The sooner the wedding is over tomorrow the better."

Paul wandered across to the night stand. He picked up the small tub of aspirin he had left there this morning. His hand twisted off the cap.

"If Andrea says anything to you tonight, just tell me okay? I'll soon tell her to back off." He shook a couple of pills into the palm of his hand.

"It's okay. I can fight my own battles, Paul."

He popped the pills in his mouth and placed the bottle down. Picking up the water, he frowned as he took a drink. The clear liquid was warm. His concerned brown eyes looked at Stephanie. "You shouldn't have to, Steph. That's not why you're here."

"No but I can handle her."

"I'm pretty sure you can." smiled Paul. "But there's no reason why you should have to put up with her crap."

Stephanie sighed as she sat down on the bed. Her feet were burning. The mattress shifted underneath her weight as she kicked off her heels. "Maybe not but honestly, what did you expect? Andrea hates me, Paul. She's jealous of us and she can't stand the fact you've moved on. And let's face it, that's the reason you brought me here, wasn't it? You wanted to prove to her and the rest of your family that you were over her."

"Well yeah but….."

"But nothing." she interrupted. "Taking her crap is just part of the job you paid me to do."

Paul's body tensed with annoyance and he shook his head slowly. He crossed his arms over his chest and scowled. For some reason Stephanie's words had totally pissed him off. "Well excuse me for forgetting this was a business transaction. Maybe I actually cared about you and the fact that Andrea might say something that would upset you."

"Paul….."

"Forget it." he snapped. "I'm going to take a shower."

He turned to leave but Stephanie stood up and grabbed his arm.

"No, Paul. I'm not leaving it like this." she said.

Stephanie's jaw was clenched determinedly as her blue eyes scanned his face. God, he was mad at her and he had every reason to be. Her words had sounded harsh and cold as she repeated them in her head although she never meant them that way. She was just being honest. Paul didn't need to worry about her. Andrea was never going to be her friend even if she had no longer loved Paul. But still, there had been no need to throw that concern back in his face. She reached up, curling her hand around Paul's cheek. His brown eyes were dark and smouldered with his anger. She licked her lips and sighed heavily.

"I'm sorry. I never meant that to come out the way that it did."

He shrugged and pressed his lips in a tight smile. "It doesn't matter."

"Yes it does." she stressed. "Paul, I care about you. You know that and you should know that this stopped being business for me the moment I got here. It's just….." She paused for a second as she bit down on her lip. Her bare feet shifted in the pale carpet. She looked into his incredible eyes and tried to find the words that would make him understand. "It's just hard remembering the real reason why I'm here in the first place. I mean, I know we're not the couple we're pretending to be yet it's so easy for me to forget that when I'm with you. This feels so right for me. I have to keep telling myself that it isn't real. Does that make sense?"

Paul nodded his head. The expression in his eyes was softer and gentle towards her. She smiled at him tenderly.

"Plus reminding myself this is meant to be business is the only way I can try and keep my feelings for you in check. Do you know I have to constantly convince myself that I haven't actually fallen head over heels in love with you?"

Paul swallowed thickly. His brow furrowed slightly. "Steph…"

"Shhh!" she hushed placing her manicured finger over his lips. "You don't need to say anything. I know we're taking things slow and I'm perfectly fine with that. I just wanted to be honest with you."

"Okay." he nodded simply. He glanced away awkwardly not sure what else to say. He cared for Stephanie. Hell, he cared for her a lot but he wasn't sure he loved her - at least not quite yet and not like that.

"But maybe if you kissed me right now, I could hide how totally embarrassed I feel now I've bared my soul to you." she joked, her cheeks flushed with heat and the champagne currently coursing through her veins.

Paul burst into laughter grateful for the break in the tension. His uneasiness disappeared as he looked into her eyes. "I don't know. You look kind of cute all flustered like that."

"Just shut up and kiss me, Paul."

He chuckled as the tips of their noses rubbed together. Stephanie's hand moved to his hair as his mouth brushed over hers. It lingered for a moment before he teased her bottom lip sucking on it gently. Her eyes fluttered shut. Paul's mouth captured hers once again and he began to kiss her slowly. Her legs felt like jelly underneath her. His lips were so soft and warm. His hands slid onto her hips and he pulled her closer to him. Paul's tongue had entered her mouth, tasting her when the shrill ring of the phone interrupted them.

"Three guesses who that will be." smiled Paul as he scratched his beard and walked to the nightstand. Stephanie smiled as she licked her wet prickly lips and watched him.

"Lynn, for the love of God, I'm remembering it's eight o'clock."

There was silence at the other end of the phone. Paul's nose wrinkled in confusion as his thick fingers unfastened a button on his navy polo shirt.

"Hello? Is anyone there?"

"Hey. Is this Room 233?" asked a hesitant voice.

"Yeah. Were you looking for someone?" Paul looked at Stephanie. Her eyebrows were raised at him quizzically. He shrugged his shoulders as he pulled out the hem of his shirt from his jeans.

"Yes, I was. Stephanie McMahon. I'm a friend."

Paul's lips upturned in a small smile as he realised it was the girl called Jennifer. Stephanie had told him she knew about their arrangement. She'd also confessed that she'd given them the number and details of their hotel. Apparently Jennifer had been worried about her coming here and who could blame her really. It was only a couple of weeks ago that he had actually met Stephanie. She hadn't really known anything about him. Hell, they had practically been strangers to one another. But funnily enough he had never really thought of Stephanie that way. He had felt a connection between them from the start. A connection that was growing stronger every single moment he spent with her.

"Is she there?"

Paul's smile spread wider as he glanced over at Stephanie. She was taking out an earring and looking at him curiously. "Actually, no."

"Oh." Jennifer paused for a second. "Well, is she coming back? I really need to talk to her."

"Sorry but I'm afraid that's not possible." Paul winked at Stephanie. "Unless of course you can summon her from the cold wet ground I buried her in this morning."

A snort of amusement came from the end of the line as Stephanie shook her head in laughter.

"So you must be the serial killer."

"The one and only." he replied as Stephanie walked over to stand next to him. Her manicured finger removed a loose strand of his hair from his shirt as she smiled at him.

"Well it's nice to finally talk to you. I've heard a lot about you."

"All good things I hope."

"So far you pass the best friend test."

"I'm very glad to hear it. I'll just pass you to Steph." Paul smiled as he handed her the receiver. She placed it to her ear as she watched him walk to the bathroom.

"Hey you. How's things?" she asked her friend as she turned to the wall twirling the cord around her finger.

"Better now I've talked to you. I was worried when I couldn't get through on your cell this afternoon."

"I switched it off." she hushed.

"It's probably just as well. Ethan has been trying to call you."

"I know." hissed Stephanie as she quickly glanced over her shoulder searching for Paul. She heard him whistling in the bathroom. She prayed he stayed in there for now. The last thing she needed was for him to walk in on the middle of this conversation. "He called me earlier. I don't know why."

"To talk to you I guess."

"Have you talked to him?" she asked, feeling slightly panicked as she heard the sound of water running. Ethan thought she was with Jen. The last thing she needed was him getting suspicious and questioning her whereabouts. She didn't want him to find out anything until she got home.

"No. Brad talked to him when he called here. Fortunately he didn't try my cell."

Stephanie let out a sigh of relief as she raked her fingers through her hair. She felt a slight stab of guilt at having to put her friend through this predicament. God knows she had enough on her hands with her teething baby.

"But he might and that's why you should call him before he has a chance to."

Stephanie's blue eyes were wide. "Jen, I can't. You know I can't."

"You're going to have to unless you want him to find out the truth."

Stephanie swallowed hard.

"I can only cover for you for so long before he realises I'm fobbing him off."

"You're right." she sighed as she rubbed her forehead wearily. Her eyes checked the bathroom again. Thankfully there was no sign of Paul just yet. "I've got to attend this rehearsal dinner, party thing tonight. I'll try and call him before then."

"Good." said Jen. "Make sure that you do. I mean imagine if he called you and someone else picked it up. Someone like Paul."

"Don't Jen." said Stephanie abruptly suddenly feeling anxious. Her stomach began to churn at the mere thought of that scenario. The very idea that Paul would find out about Ethan killed her. Okay, she probably should have been honest with him from the start. She should have told Paul the truth but what was the point in that? When she got back to Boston, she was ending things with Ethan. Things were definitely over between them. She didn't love him any more. How could she when she knew her heart lay with Paul. She sat down heavily on the bed and saw Paul emerge from the bathroom. He was shirtless and his unbuttoned jeans hung loosely around his hips. She could see the waistband of his boxer shorts. She swallowed thickly as she admired his chiselled chest. "Listen, I need to go and get ready. I'll call you later okay."

"Make sure that you do. I need to know that you've talked to Ethan."

"I will. I promise." Stephanie hung up and smiled at Paul who was rummaging around in his bag.

"You didn't have to end the call on my account."

"I know but Jen had to go anyway. The baby was crying."

"So she's happy you're alive and well?"

Stephanie smiled. "Something like that." She watched Paul pull the band from his hair. He raked his fingers through it and it fell in soft waves across his shoulders.

"I'm just going to grab a quick shower. I won't be long."

Stephanie nodded. "Okay."

Paul disappeared behind the bathroom door. Stephanie sighed and her eyes fell on her bag. She quickly grabbed her cell phone and the key card that still lay on the bed where Paul had thrown it down. She knew she had to call Ethan now. It was her only chance before he took it upon himself to try and contact her through Jen. Stephanie could still hear the water running as she quietly opened the bedroom door. It clicked shut behind her as she stood in the deserted corridor. The rough carpet tickled her bare feet. She quickly dialled the familiar number and her heart raced in her chest as it began to ring out.

"Come on Ethan. Answer your phone." she mumbled as she stared out the small square window at the end of the hall. She watched a car reverse into a parking space right next to Paul's black Expedition.

"Hello?"

Stephanie swallowed hard as she heard the sound of his familiar voice. She felt a stab of guilt in the pit of her stomach. Ethan was a really sweet guy and he didn't deserve any of this. It was going to be so hard to tell him the truth when she got back. But she would. God knows it was the least he deserved from her. He had to know that none of this was about him. It was about her and her feelings for someone else; someone who had come along and stolen her heart so suddenly and so unexpectedly. "Hey Ethan." she said softly.

"Stephanie. Thank God! I thought you'd been kidnapped or something."

"Don't be silly." she replied wrapping her arm around herself. She let out a soft sigh. Her mind froze as she racked her brains for something to say to him. Conversation was usually so easy between them but her guilt weighed on her heavily. How could she talk to a man when she was too busy thinking about someone else? Even now her mind was on Paul. It was pathetic really but it proved to her that Ethan was in her past. There was no future between them. There couldn't be.

"I tried to call you earlier but you never answered." said Ethan breaking the silence.

"Sorry about that. I'd left my phone in my room." she lied.

"It was just to tell you I got my exam results."

"You did? How did you get on?" she asked. She heard a door bang down the hallway. She jumped slightly as her anxiety got the better of her. Soft footsteps echoed down the corridor.

"I passed, Steph. I did it."

Stephanie beamed, genuinely pleased for him. Her blue eyes settled on a couple strolling in the grounds of the hotel. "That's fantastic, Ethan. I'm really proud of you."

"I couldn't have done it without you."

"Nonsense. You did all the work."

"But you're the one that encouraged me, baby. I just wish you were here with me right now so we could celebrate."

"We can celebrate when I get back." she said, closing her eyes and hating herself for lying to him. But what else could she do? She wasn't doing this over the phone. She would tell him to his face. Whatever else she was right now, she wasn't a coward.

"I miss you so much."

Stephanie swallowed back the lump in her throat and bowed her head. "I miss you too." she said softly.

Her tears burned her eyes. She was such a fucking horrible person. How could she do this to him? She was honestly the biggest bitch in the world right now. Sniffing, Stephanie turned and leant back against the door. She lifted her head and that was when she saw her. Lynn was standing less than three feet away from her with an unfathomable expression on her face. Stephanie instantly felt her stomach drop as their eyes connected with one another. Panic began to grip her body as she wondered what the hell was she going to do now?


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Stephanie's body felt frozen as her panicked mind struggled with what to do. If she just knew how much of the conversation Lynn had overheard, it would make this a whole lot easier. Not that this was easy. Fuck, it was far from it. She was in a huge, big, horrible mess and she had no idea how on earth she was going to get out of it, if she could get out of it.

"Steph, are you there?"

Ethan's voice jolted her from her trance like state. Stephanie licked her dry lips and tried to summon the tiniest of smiles as Lynn continued to look at her with a strange expression on her face. Shit, she was busted. She just knew it.

"Steph?"

Stephanie shook her head slightly as if to brush off the haze. "Listen, I have to go. I'll call you later okay." She flipped her cell phone shut as her heart pounded in her chest.

"We need to talk." said Lynn, her hand resting on her rounded stomach.

Stephanie swallowed hard and nodded her head as her phone dangled in her hand. She felt the sudden urge to cry but silently willed her tears not to come. They would only be a sign of her guilt, proof that she was lying to Paul.

"Where's Paul?"

"In the shower." replied Stephanie, her voice barely a whisper.

"Good. I don't want him to hear this."

She felt the nausea rise in her stomach as Lynn took hold of her arm and began to lead her down the corridor. She stuffed her phone in her pocket. A door opened as her bare feet sunk into the plush patterned carpet. She'd left her shoes in the bedroom where five minutes ago she had been laughing and joking with Paul. Five short minutes yet they seemed a lifetime ago as she realised that her deceit about Ethan was going to cost her the one thing in her life that she valued the most. Paul. The man who she wanted more than anything even more so now she was so scared she was going to lose him.

"God knows this is the last thing he needs after everything he's been through."

As she repeated Lynn's words over in her mind, Stephanie suddenly stopped in her tracks. Lynn threw her a curious stare, her brown eyes narrowing in her direction as she released the grip on her arm. Stephanie pushed back her hair nervously. The only thing that could save this mess was the truth even if that truth would cost her Paul. If anyone deserved her honesty, he did. Lynn was right. Her lies were the last thing he needed. Andrea had hurt and betrayed him enough. She'd be damned if she did the same thing to him. She'd just have to hold on to the tiniest piece of hope that somehow Ethan wouldn't matter although deep down she knew she was fooling herself. How could Paul trust her after this? Stephanie's blue eyes were wide as they scanned Lynn's face frantically.

"Look, you don't understand. I just need you to give me a chance to explain."

"You do?"

Stephanie nodded her head as she swallowed the lump in her throat. The slightly buzzed effect she still felt from the champagne did absolutely nothing to calm her nerves. She just couldn't fuck this up. She just had to make things right. She placed her hand on Lynn's arm as she silently pleaded with her to understand. "Lynn, you've got to believe me when I tell you that I never expected any of this to happen. I honestly didn't. I mean, falling for Paul it just came out of nowhere for me. I didn't plan this. I was just meant to be helping him out but then he bursts his way into my life with that big, beating heart of his turning everything I thought I knew upside down. I mean, it's only been a short space of time but I know for sure that I've fallen in love with him. Paul is such an amazing guy and I know what I feel for him is real. So real that I can't stop thinking about him or wanting to touch him or kiss him or be with him all the time."

Lynn's brown eyes narrowed suspiciously in her direction.

"Please Lynn, you've got to believe me." Stephanie pleaded. "I love Paul. I would never intentionally do anything to hurt him."

Lynn's brow furrowed as her hand rubbed absently at her stomach. "I wasn't aware that you had." she said strangely.

Stephanie's blue eyes widened as she felt her stomach drop. She swallowed thickly as she observed the confused and worried expression on Lynn's face.

"But you obviously think differently."

She cleared her throat awkwardly as she realised she'd said too much. Lynn obviously hadn't overheard her phone conversation with Ethan after all. Shit. And now she'd gone and put her foot in it by blabbering on about Paul like an idiot. She just had to pray Lynn didn't suspect the truth. If she did, she'd landed Paul right in it. Her feelings of panic and the champagne hadn't done him any favours. What the hell was she meant to do now?

"Is there something you want to tell me?" asked Lynn.

"I just……." Stephanie let out a calming, shaky breath as she pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. A door opened down the hallway. "Look, you said we needed to talk."

"Yeah but not about this! Whatever the hell this is."

"I thought I heard voices."

Stephanie jumped, startled by his presence. Her heart hammered in her chest as she turned her head to the left. Paul was standing in the hallway, his hair damp from his shower. His white shirt hung loosely over his black trousers. His brown eyes looked totally bewildered as he fiddled with one his cuffs, his foot holding the door open.

"What on earth are you two doing out there?"

Time seemed to stop as Lynn's eyes connected with hers. Stephanie wished she could tell what she was thinking. Instead the expression on her face was unfathomable.

"Well, is anyone going to tell me what's going on?"

Lynn's gaze slowly turned towards her brother. "You'd better ask Stephanie that question. She lost me the second she starting going on about you and not expecting to fall for you, whatever that means."

Stephanie closed her eyes briefly as she silently apologised to Paul. The last person she wanted to drag into her mess was him. God knows, he'd only ever treated her with the best of intentions. He was the one that had been open and honest with her from the start. If only she had done the same, then she wouldn't be standing here terrified that she was about to miss out on the best thing in her life.

"Stephanie?" he said softly.

Her eyelids fluttered open as she looked at him. His gorgeous face was confused as he pushed back his hair behind his ear. She sighed softly as she felt the tears burn the back of her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Paul. When Lynn said she needed to talk to me, I misunderstood and I just opened my mouth and panicked."

"It's okay, Steph." he smiled reassuringly.

"No, it's not." she hushed shaking her head. "I've screwed up."

"Screwed up what?" Lynn frowned as she noticed the gentle expression in her brother's eyes as he looked at Stephanie. "Paul, what's going on here?"

"Look, it's nothing okay?" he said as he noticed Stephanie hastily wipe at her eyes. He felt a pang of guilt in his chest. It was because of him she was upset. This was his lie, his fault.

"I don't believe you." said Lynn. Her concerned brown eyes looked at Stephanie. "If it's nothing, then why is she crying?"

A loud banging came from the end of the corridor and the sound of footsteps could be heard. Paul pushed the door open with his hand.

"Look, both of you come inside and we'll talk about this."

Lynn gave Stephanie a tight smile before she approached their room. Stephanie hesitated for a moment before she slowly followed on behind. She just wanted this over and done with. She just wanted to tell Paul the truth about Ethan and prayed he understood. Her deceit had gone on long enough.

"Are you alright?" asked Paul as she passed him in the doorway. She sniffed and nodded her head. His kind, brown eyes smiled at her as he rubbed her arm reassuringly.

"I'm so sorry." she whispered.

"Don't be. This isn't your fault, Stephanie." He pushed the door shut behind him and it clicked softly into place. "Look, why don't you go and get a shower while I explain things to Lynn."

Stephanie quickly shook her head. "But Paul, we need to talk."

"And we will but not right now." he smiled. His thumb affectionately grazed her chin. "We can talk tonight, after this dinner is over and done with. Okay?"

"Okay." she reluctantly agreed. She'd put off telling Paul about Ethan for days now. Another few hours wasn't going to make any difference. She disappeared into the bathroom.

Paul turned to face his sister. She was standing by the bed rubbing her rounded stomach. He sighed heavily as he wandered across towards her.

"Will you please tell me what's going on, Paul?"

There was no disguising the worried expression on her face. Paul gestured towards the neatly made bed. "Sit down will you?"

The comforter wrinkled underneath her weight. The mattress creaked as he sat down heavily beside her. As he looked at her furrowed brow, he decided just to tell the truth. He and Lynn were tight. He could trust her to understand or at least hope that she understood. Besides, he had deceived her enough. He just hoped he could protect Stephanie in the process. He sighed softly as he rubbed his thick thighs with his hands.

"Are you going to hurry up and tell me or am I going to have to beat it out of you?" asked Lynn.

Paul's lips curved upwards into a smile. "You wish."

"Hey, I could do it in my sleep."

"Yeah, and then you wake up." he smirked.

Lynn nudged him with her shoulder. "Enough of the jokes, little brother! Tell me what the hell is going on here."

Paul licked his lips as he glanced down at his hands. He slowly began rubbing his palms together as he tried to find the right words to approach this. "Well, what's going on here is that Stephanie….well…. see the thing is she's not really my girlfriend." he blurted nervously.

He slowly turned his head in Lynn's direction to see her matching brown eyes staring at him incredulously.

"I asked her to pretend she was."

Lynn remained silent for a moment as she tried to take it all in. She slowly shook her head as she stared at him in disbelief. "But why, Paul? Why the hell would you do that?"

Paul sighed as he dropped his hands to his lap. "Because I knew if I came here alone all I would get would be sympathetic glances and whispered comments behind my back. People thinking I was upset and heartbroken because Andrea was marrying somebody else." He paused as he shrugged his shoulders. "Well, I didn't want that. I wanted to prove to her and everyone else that I had gotten over her and that I'd moved on with my life."

Lynn covered his hand with hers. "But you didn't have to lie to do that. You could have come here alone and held your head high and showed Andrea and everyone else that you didn't give a crap about her."

"It wasn't that easy for me, Lynn."

"Then you could have refused the invitation. You didn't have to come. The bitch probably only invited you to rub your face in it anyway."

Paul shifted on the bed and turned to face her. He heard the sound of the shower running in the bathroom. "But maybe I needed to come here for my own reasons. I needed closure, Lynn. I was so sick of living in the past and dwelling on our relationship. I needed to see for myself that it was really over between us and that I had moved past what she had done to me."

"And is it over?"

"Yeah. On my part anyway." He pressed his lips together tightly and frowned. "You know that afternoon at the barbecue when you found us in the kitchen together? Andrea told me she still loved me and that if I said the word, she wouldn't marry Nick."

Lynn's eyebrows raised fractionally. "You're fucking kidding me?"

Paul shook his head. "Then she kissed me."

"Well that explains why you had her lip gloss all over your face."

"Yeah but I'm glad that she did kiss me because that was when I realised it really was over between us." he stressed.

"Really?"

Paul nodded his head as the corners of his mouth upturned into a fond smile. "I knew because all the time she was kissing me, I was thinking of someone else."

"Stephanie?"

"Yeah. I really like her, Lynn. In fact, I think I could be falling for her."

"Funny that. She said the same thing about you."

"Well, you can't really blame her now, can you?" he smirked.

Lynn playfully smacked his arm. "God, you're so full of yourself." Her smile faded as she watched him carefully. "Who is she, Paul?"

"Stephanie?"

Lynn nodded.

Paul licked his lips and casually shrugged. "She's a friend of mine."

"And how did you meet her?"

"I told you that already. Through mutual friends of ours. The Harrises." he smiled reminding himself that was technically the truth by all accounts. It was how they had met. Lynn just didn't need to know all the intricate details. It wasn't so much himself he was looking out for, but Stephanie. She might not like people knowing he had hired her through an escort agency no matter how reputable that agency was plus he wasn't sure how Lynn would take it. God knows she'd had enough to deal with today.

"Yeah, well you could have told me the rest of it you know. Believe it or not, I would have understood." said Lynn, squeezing his hand.

"I know and I'm sorry. My stupid male pride got in the way, I guess."

"Well you always were a stubborn big doofus." she grinned. "But if there is any good out of all of this, it's the fact that you're sticking it to bitch face."

"Well, I know how much enjoyment you get out of it."

Lynn's grin faded as she eyed her brother tentatively. "Speaking of her, I should probably tell you that she's waiting for you down in the lobby."

Paul's brown eyes went wide. "What?"

"That's what I was coming to tell Stephanie earlier. I was hoping she could help me get rid of her."

Paul stood up from the bed, pulling down the hem of his shirt. "You don't have to. It will be my pleasure." He walked over to the table by the window and grabbing his wallet, he stuffed it in his back pocket.

"Are you sure that's such a good idea?"

Paul smiled as he bent down and pulled on his shoes. "Look, you don't have to worry about me. She can't say anything that will change anything I've told you." As he straightened up, he pushed his damp strands back from his face. "Andrea and I are through, Lynn."

Just then the shower stopped. He gestured towards the bathroom.

"Will you stay here with Stephanie while I get rid of her?"

Lynn nodded as she chewed on her bottom lip. "Sure."

"And maybe you can reassure her that you're cool with her and the whole situation?"

His brown eyes watched her carefully. "That's if you are cool with it, of course."

"Luckily for you, you've got one hell of an understanding sister although I should still beat you up for lying to me."

"I'll make it up to you I promise." Paul kissed her on the forehead and paused for a second knowing he needed to broach the subject. He pressed his lips together. "Look, this thing with Stephanie. Can we keep it to ourselves? I'll tell Mom the truth after the wedding. It's just I don't want to spoil things for her, you know?"

Lynn nodded her head in understanding. "Don't worry. I wasn't planning to tell her anyway." She smiled at him. "Besides, it's not like she'll suspect anything. You and Stephanie make quite the convincing couple."

"Thank you." said Paul, squeezing her shoulders. "I won't be long, okay?"

"Make sure you're not." she called out as he walked out the door.

The door shut behind Paul as he walked down the hallway. His lips pressed together as his mind turned to Andrea. He wondered what the hell she wanted. He thought she'd got the message loud and clear at the barbecue. Obviously he was mistaken. He just hoped she didn't pull any of her crap. He honestly wasn't in the mood for her mind games tonight.

Paul shook his head as he entered into the bar area. He saw her straight away. She was sitting on a bar stool nursing her drink, a rum and diet coke if his memory served him correctly. It was one of the little details that reminded him that they shared a history together. A history he had no interest in repeating even if once upon a time he thought he didn't want to live without her. Funny how quickly things had changed between them. Now he just wanted her out of his life. He was sick and tired of all this. It stopped here and it stopped now for her sake as much as his. It was time to make a clean break. Paul cleared his throat to get his attention.

"I heard you were here." he said as he sat down in the stool beside her.

His feet shifted on the pattered carpet as he crossed his right foot over the left. Her big grey eyes lifted in his direction as he crossed his arms over his chest. They wore a sad, almost melancholy expression. If he didn't know better, he'd think she was genuine. Andrea always excelled at playing the victim.

"Don't you have a wedding rehearsal you should be at right now?" he said.

Andrea's lips pressed together in a smile. "It's traditional for the bride to be late. Can I get you a drink?"

"No thank you. I'm not staying."

Andrea shook her head sadly. "So now we can't even talk?"

Paul sighed heavily as he pushed his blonde strands behind his ear. "Andrea, we have nothing to talk about. We've got nothing left to say to one another."

"I disagree."

He rolled his eyes. "Well I figured that being you're sitting here and all."

Andrea scowled at him as she took a mouthful of her drink.

"So why don't you just get it over with so we can get on with our lives."

"You can at least sound interested." she pouted.

"Why? I'm not."

"You used to be."

"Yeah, well that was a long time ago." said Paul before shaking his head at the bar tender. A drink would only prolong his stay.

"Not that long." said Andrea as she reached out and touched his arm. She tried to brush aside her hurt and disappointment as he quickly shrugged her off.

"Look, either say what you came here to say or leave." he told her firmly.

Andrea sighed as she placed her glass down on the bar. Her fingers twisted together anxiously as she smiled sadly at him. "Paul, I have regrets about us." she admitted.

Paul immediately held his hand up to stop her. "Us? There is no us, Andrea. You and me, we're in the past and in case you haven't noticed I'm here with someone else."

"But Paul, she's not right for you. There's something about her…"

He quickly interrupted her. "Yeah. She's not you and you know what? That makes her absolutely perfect for me."

"Is that why you brought her here? Because of me?"

"Don't be stupid." he said quickly. Paul paused for a second and was about to walk away when he stopped himself and looked straight in her eyes. "I brought her here because Stephanie is my girlfriend. Because I love her. Because I hold her in my arms at night and it just feels right."

Paul looked into her once familiar grey eyes once last time and realised they belonged to a woman he didn't recognise. A woman he no longer cared about. Not any more.

"There is nothing left between us, Andrea." He pushed back his damp hair and stood up from his stool. "I suggest you'd better get to your rehearsal. Your groom is waiting." he said as he turned and walked away from her, his lips upturned in the tiniest of smiles.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Stephanie took another mouthful of wine enjoying the warm evening breeze on her face. The leaves on the trees rustled gently above her as the low sun cast the garden in a pretty orange hue and darkening shadows crossed the freshly cut lawn. She was aware of the sound of deep laughter behind her. She wondered if Paul's father and uncle were still regaling the table with their tale of their fishing escapade a couple of years back. It had sparked a mass exodus of the Levesque women to the kitchen to finish some preparations for the dessert. According to Patricia it was a tale they told at every family gathering and was beginning to wear extremely thin. Her husband had waved her off and enthusiastically continued. She had slipped quietly from the table herself using it as a convenient excuse to discreetly catch a silent moment. She really wasn't in the mood for making small talk tonight. In fact, she wasn't in the mood to be here at all not when all she could think about the conversation she needed to have with Paul.

She had gone over it a thousand times in her mind trying to find the right words to explain everything to him but no matter how she put it, she knew she couldn't justify what she had done. God, she just prayed he understood about Ethan. It had never been her intention to deceive him. After all, how could she have imagined any of this happening? She hadn't come here with any preconceived notions. It was a business transaction or at least that's how it had started out. She hadn't been looking to fall in love but she had so hard and so fast that it had literally stolen her breath away and somehow there was now the possibility of her and Paul becoming the couple they were pretending to be. It was something she knew in her heart that she wanted. She wanted to be close to Paul and know every little thing about him including his hopes, his dreams and his fears. She wanted to be his future. She wanted to be his everything which was absolutely crazy when only a matter of weeks ago she never even knew he existed. Now she knew she couldn't exist without him but there was every chance she'd have to find a way to do just that once she told him the truth. She just wished she'd had the courage to tell him about Ethan from the start then she wouldn't be standing here feeling sick inside that she could lose Paul forever. Her world suddenly seemed a much darker, bleaker place picturing it without him.

"Penny for them?"

Stephanie jumped slightly startled at his deep voice behind her. She turned to see Paul appear from behind the tree smiling at her. His hands were stuffed deep in his trouser pockets and his hair shone with flecks of gold as it blew gently behind him in the breeze. She inhaled the faint scent of his cologne and admired how handsome he looked in his black suit and white open necked shirt. Suddenly she felt the overwhelming urge to just hold him tight and never let go.

"You looked like you were a million miles away there."

Stephanie managed a lop-sided smile as Paul's arm reached out and touched her tentatively.

"Are you okay?" he asked tenderly.

Stephanie let out a slow breath needing a moment to recover as that tenderness in his voice found its way into her. His voice always got to her. It held such an array of emotions and moved her in ways she just couldn't explain. Paul's brown eyes were watching her carefully. They were something else that got to her making her totally melt inside. She managed a small nod as she finally allowed herself to meet them.

"Yeah." she replied softly. "You?"

"Yeah." Paul's fingers lightly traced her bare arm before reluctantly falling away. "If I'm honest though, I guess I was worried about you. You seem a little quiet tonight."

"I'm fine." she said almost too quickly and tried to disguise it with her best smile. As her feet shifted on the grass, her hand absently smoothed down her black chiffon dress. "Everything is fine." she repeated wondering just who exactly she was trying to convince here. It certainly wasn't herself because everything wasn't fine. Her heart wouldn't feel so heavy if it was fine.

"You look tired."

Paul's thumb swept across her cheek and she swallowed thickly.

"I guess it's been a busy day." She paused pressing her lips together in a small smile. "Eventful."

"You can say that again." he sighed as he watched Stephanie take another mouthful of wine.

His brow was slightly furrowed with concern. She had been so withdrawn this evening since the moment they got here, probably even before that. When he'd returned to the room after his conversation with Andrea, she'd still been locked inside the bathroom. It wasn't until Lynn had gone back downstairs that she had shown her face and quickly got dressed for the dinner. She'd tried her best to assure him she was okay but she hadn't been particularly convincing. Not even her beaming smile quite reached her pretty blue eyes. It had been on the tip of his tongue to tell her they'd skip the whole damn dinner thing and just spend the evening alone together. The last thing he wanted was for Stephanie to feel even more uncomfortable. He knew she felt awkward now Lynn knew the truth and even guilty that she had been the one to let it slip despite his reassurances that she had no reason to feel that way. It was his lie after all and the strange thing was he was actually a little relieved that the truth was out. He wasn't in the habit of telling lies to his family, his sister in particular and his deceit had left him feeling extremely guilty.

"You know I really am sorry Paul. For everything." said Stephanie, sadly.

He quickly shook his head and smiled to reassure her. "I thought I told you to stop apologising."

"But…"

His finger gently pressed against her slightly parted lips silencing her as his concerned brown eyes settled on her face. "Don't. This was my mess, okay?" His finger slipped lower lightly brushing across her chin. "If there is anyone who should be apologising, it should be me apologising to you. After all I was the one who dragged you into all of this in the first place."

Stephanie shook her head emphatically. "You didn't drag me into anything, Paul. I agreed to do this, remember. I wanted to help you."

Her blue eyes were desperate as they searched his beautiful face and her hand lifted to curl around his cheek, her heart silently whispering her love for him and beseeching him to forgive her. If only she could just run away right now and take Paul with her. It would just be the two of them alone together and they could live happily ever after letting her forget all about Ethan and the guilt and horrible lies hovering over them like some damn time bomb waiting to hit. God, if only it could ever be that simple. Unfortunately for her it wasn't though and the hours she had left with Paul just didn't seem long enough as she stared into his entrancing brown eyes. Suddenly, she needed him to understand and remind him exactly how she felt inside. She wanted to honest with him, well as much as she could be for now at least.

"Look, I need you to know something, okay?" she said, her thumb tracing his soft, warm skin. "I need you to know that no matter what happens between us, I'm never going to regret one single second that I've spent with you the last few days. I mean, how could I when they've been the most incredible days of my life?" She licked her lips as they curved upwards into a tender smile. "I never dreamed that this would happen to me, you know. I never dreamed that I'd find this really amazing guy who would overwhelm me so completely and capture my heart so unexpectedly that I barely had time to catch my breath let alone try and figure out what it all means."

The left hand corner of Paul's mouth lifted in a shy, touched smile as his fingers brushed a few strands of hair across her forehead. "You know you don't have to figure it all out right away." His lips replaced his fingers pressing down on her skin softly. "After all, what's the rush when we can take the time to really get to know one another and enjoy just being together. We can just be us. And someday somewhere down the line, anything we need to figure out, well maybe we can figure it out together."

"You promise?" Stephanie asked quickly knowing deep down that it was a promise she couldn't expect Paul to keep. Not once he knew the truth but just for a brief moment, she wanted to pretend. She wanted to pretend that everything was fine and that she had a future with him, a wonderful future that she wanted more than anything in the world.

"I promise." Paul replied pausing for a second to push a lock of hair behind her right ear. His brown eyes looked into hers and Stephanie felt herself get lost in them. "You know, for the record, I should probably confess that you're not the only one struggling to catch their breath right now."

Stephanie bit down on her lip shyly and tilted her head downwards closing her eyes for a brief second as she felt a small gust of wind blow through her hair.

"Uh oh. I see Mom is back at the table. Maybe we had better head over before we get hunted down." said Paul.

Stephanie looked up nodding her head and as they walked side by side back towards the house, she shot him an anxious glance. Paul was already watching her and his warm smile made her heart ache. Impulsively, she grabbed his right hand and pressing his soft palm to her lips, she kissed it. She saw the flicker of surprise cross his face before her eyes turned back towards the table, one hand still gripping his firmly while the other held her empty wine glass. The sound of laughter drifted across the garden drowning out their soft footsteps in the grass.

"There they are. Your mother was wondering where the pair of you had gotten to." grinned Aunt Jane. She quickly moved around the table and reached for Stephanie's arm before either one of them could say a word. "Stephanie dear, come with me. I want to show you something."

Her hand slipped from Paul's as she pressed her lips in a smile and followed his aunt into the house. Paul chuckled to himself as he took his seat beside his sister and picked up his own wine taking a sip. He noticed his father and uncle across from him still immersed in conversation no doubt recalling every single detail of their now infamous catch.

"I wondered how long it would take her to show off her prized figurine collection. Poor Stephanie will have to listen to every tale behind every single china doll." said Lynn turning to her brother, her hand lifting to swat at a bothersome fly. "You do know it's her way of welcoming people into the family. I guess she made a good impression on our dear old aunt."

Paul smiled as he placed his wine glass back down on the table. "I didn't have any doubt that she would." The persistent wind blew loose strands of hair against his cheek and he pushed them behind his left ear.

"Is she okay? She seems a little quiet tonight." asked Lynn.

Paul blew out his cheeks as he stretched his long legs underneath the table and shrugged his shoulders, sighing as he leant his head towards her. "I think Steph is feeling a little bit awkward now that you know the truth about us."

"But you have told her she has nothing to worry about, right?"

Paul nodded and smiled at her. "But maybe it would sound a little more reassuring coming from you?"

Lynn leaned over and squeezed his hand showing she understood. "I'll track her down later and have a quiet word with her."

"Thanks sis."

Lynn smiled as she shifted in her seat and tugged on the bottom hem of her red blouse. "You know I've been watching her tonight."

"Stephanie? Why?" he asked sounding a little alarmed.

Lynn chuckled. "Relax little brother. I was just being curious. You do know you can tell a lot from the way someone reacts around a person?"

"No."

"That figures. You're a guy. Guys are completely oblivious to these kinds of things."

Paul rolled his eyes. "And your point is?"

"My point is Stephanie's eyes light up every time she looks at you."

He gave a snort of embarrassment as he picked up his wine once more. "Get out of here."

Lynn's leg playfully kicked at him. "It's true." She watched Paul take a mouthful of wine before continuing. "There was a moment tonight when you were talking with Mom. It was just after you had arrived and she was sitting at the table watching you. I could see it written all over her face. Stephanie really cares about you, Paul and I can tell from the way you are around her that you care for her too."

Paul said nothing as he placed his glass down in front of him.

"I think that's probably why I haven't killed you yet for lying to me."

Paul pretended to scowl at her. "Shut up. Like you could even try."

Lynn made a face at him and moved her chair a little closer as an aeroplane flew overhead. She glanced briefly at the darkening blue sky before focusing on her brother who was looking at her with an amused stare. Little did he know that she had spotted him with Stephanie only a few moments ago as they stood underneath the tree and it had definitely made her feel more at ease about the whole thing. Paul may have started out on this trip trying to pretend to everyone he was happy and in love but somewhere along the line it seemed the pretence had stopped and genuine feelings had developed between him and Stephanie. God, she hoped so. She really did. She just wanted to see her baby brother happy and settled. He deserved it especially after everything he had been through with that bitch of an ex.

"So do you plan on seeing her for real after this whole debacle is over?" asked Lynn curiously.

A small smile traced Paul's lips. "Not that it's any of your business but actually I'm taking her to dinner next weekend."

"See? I knew you had it in you."

Paul lightly chuckled at her reaction. "There's just something about her that makes me think she could be someone pretty damn special, you know?" He sighed softly as his mind and thoughts drifted to Stephanie. "Then there are all the little things that are so uniquely her like they way her nose wrinkles when she laughs or the way she chews on her bottom lip when she's nervous. Do you know she stands on her tiptoes every single time she looks in a mirror? I've noticed she always does that."

"Oh my God! You really do have it bad." grinned Lynn.

"Has what bad?"

Lynn jumped slightly startled by the voice of their mother who had suddenly appeared behind her two children. Her curious eyes peered between them and Paul decided to tactfully avoid even getting into that line of questioning by pulling his cell phone from his pocket. It always had the desired effect and he knew this time would be no different.

"I hope you're not calling work." said Patricia almost on cue as he pressed the small silver buttons. Paul rolled his eyes as he pretended to check the display and heard his sister's amused snort.

"You're supposed to be on vacation not on the phone making deals with God knows who about God knows what."

Paul wrinkled his nose in disbelief as he looked up at her. "Do you have to make it sound so seedy, Ma?"

"And what about Stephanie? That poor girl is stuck in there with your Aunt Jane's china doll collection and you're out here making business calls when you should be inside rescuing her." frowned Patricia. "You do know Jane is one step away from bringing out and showing off her prized silverware too."

Paul groaned loudly as he snapped his phone shut . "Alright. Enough already! I'll go inside and rescue Stephanie." He placed the phone back in the inside pocket of his jacket.

"Tell you what? Why don't I do it?" said Lynn, getting to her feet and pushing her hair back from her face. "I wanted to talk to her about something anyway."

Paul smiled at her gratefully as his mother sat down in the chair that his sister had just vacated.

"I'll be back in a minute."

Lynn chuckled to herself as her sandals scuffed against the concrete patio and she heard her mother begin to chastise Paul once more for mixing business with pleasure. That poor boy never caught a break. As she made her way into the house, she passed Andrea sitting at the head of the table. She deliberately ignored her and didn't even look in her direction. If she did, she would only be tempted to tell her to shove her regrets about Paul straight up her scrawny ass. That bitch had a cheek thinking she could go to the hotel the night before her wedding and pull that crap on him. She really did have a fucking nerve. The quicker tomorrow came and she was married and out of Paul's life for good, so much the better. She even felt a tiny bit of sympathy for her cousin Nick being stuck with his new bride. Of course it was only fleeting being that he had betrayed a member of his family although he had done Paul a huge favour in the long run. Getting rid of Andrea was the best thing that could have ever happened to him.

Stepping inside the large kitchen, Lynn was surprised to see her Aunt Jane at the sink and alone. Her flat heels clicked against the terracotta tiled floor as she looked around the room curiously.

"Hey Aunt Jane. Is Stephanie around?"

The small grey haired woman turned and smiled. Lynn tried her best to conceal her smile. The glazed look in her wrinkled brown eyes revealed that Aunt Jane had obviously had another glass of wine or two since leaving the table.

"She's in the cellar, dear. I sent her for another bottle of wine. The poor girl's glass was empty." Jane reached over and turned off the water running into the large sink. "Mind you, that was a few minutes ago. Maybe you could check on her and make sure she's not lost or something?"

Lynn nodded and made her way to the back of the house where the old cellar was. A handful of steps took her into the cold, dark room. She remembered coming here as a kid and being scared out of her mind. Of course Nick and Paul hadn't helped by telling her it was haunted and locking her in that one time. It was in the middle of winter and pitch black dark. She hadn't been able to find the light switch and had screamed until her father had heard her and told the boys to let her out. They had both been sent to bed without any supper. Smiling fondly at the memory Lynn descended the steps. Her brow furrowed with concern as she heard the soft whimpers.

"Stephanie? Is that you?"

Stephanie's tears caught in her hot throat as she heard the sound of footsteps behind her. Panicked, she quickly wiped her wet cheeks with the back of her hand and grabbed a bottle of wine from the rack. She flicked back her hair and forced a smile on her face as she turned around to see Lynn watching her with a worried expression on her face. God, she had to pull herself together for now at least. This wasn't the time to let her emotions get the better of her.

"Are you okay?" Lynn asked approaching her.

Stephanie quickly nodded her head, shifting her feet underneath her as she lifted up the bottle in her hand. "I'm fine. Jane just sent me in for some more wine."

"Well that's no surprise." Lynn joked trying to make Stephanie feel a little more at ease. She was chewing on the side of her bottom lip and clearly feeling a little awkward. She guessed she couldn't blame her. After all, they hadn't really talked since their conversation in the hotel corridor. Even then it hadn't been much of a conversation as Stephanie had totally baffled her, confessing her feelings for Paul.

"I guess I should get back up there." smiled Stephanie.

Her heart almost jumped out her chest as Lynn grabbed hold of her arm stopping her in her tracks. She saw the wary look in Stephanie's blue eyes and smiled to reassure her.

"I just wondered if we could talk for a second."

Stephanie took a step back and slowly nodded her head, watching her tentatively.

"You probably know what it's about anyway."

"Paul." she said softly and tried to swallow the fresh tears she could feel burning the back of her throat. Their conversation in the garden had been preying on her mind intensifying her guilt every time she thought about it. It's why she had been crying just a moment ago. She got emotional every time she remembered each word, each look, each touch, knowing that it was only a matter of time before she could lose it all, before she lost the one person who truly could mean everything to her.

"You know when he first admitted to me that your relationship wasn't real, I was a little angry and upset with him. It wasn't the fact that Paul had lied to me as such. It was the fact he felt he couldn't tell me because despite all our quibbles, Paul and I, well we're close. We always have been." Lynn smiled softly as she took a couple of steps towards the old brick wall and leant back against it, her hands clasped loosely in front of her. "But then when he explained all his reasons, I found myself beginning to understand. See, Paul's an extremely proud man and I know it was that pride that got in the way of him coming here alone or even considering not coming here at all. It was also that same pride that made him bring you with him and ask you to pretend to love him. And you know what? I'm actually glad that he did because being here with you helped him realise what he could have if he finally stopped living in the past and moved on."

Stephanie's blue eyes were shocked and surprised as she watched Lynn carefully.

"You helped give him closure, Stephanie and that was his reason for coming here, even if he wasn't completely sure of that at first. I think he just needed to see Andrea one last time and know for himself that it was completely over between them. Part of him has always dwelt on what could have been between them. He's never been able to fully let her go. Well up until now." Lynn smiled as she rubbed her hand over her rounded stomach. "Although to be perfectly honest with you, I don't think he bargained on falling for you in the process."

Stephanie's lips trembled in a shaky smile. "Trust me. He wasn't the only one."

"He really does care about you, you know."

"I know." she whispered.

"Paul may act tough when it comes to business but when it comes to his heart, well he pretty much wears that on his sleeve and it makes him kind of vulnerable, even more so since it's already been broken in the first place. So just do me a favour and don't hurt him, okay?" asked Lynn.

Those words were like a knife to her chest and Stephanie felt her guilt overwhelm her as her eyes welled up with unshed tears. She shook her head and slowly backtracked towards the cellar door.

"I'm sorry. I- I can't do this."

"Do what?" asked Lynn, alarmed as she rushed towards the door and stood in front of it, blocking Stephanie's path. Her brown eyes searched her pretty face as tears streaked her flushed cheeks. Her stomach churned anxiously as she loosely gripped Stephanie's arm. "Stephanie, talk to me. Tell me what's wrong."

"I-I can't." she wept.

"Yes you can." said Lynn firmly. "You have to."

Stephanie shook her head as the tears continued to flow down her face. Her body trembled as she silently begged for forgiveness. God, this was all such a mess and it was her fault. This was all her fault.

"Stephanie?"

Sniffing loudly, she angrily wiped the heel of her hand across her face and curled her fingers tightly around the bottle of wine gripping it like some kind of lifeline as she tried to get control of her emotions. Emotions that were spiralling out of control now her fear had crept into her heart. "You know I didn't mean for any of this to happen." she sobbed. "If I had any idea….if I'd have only known…"

"You're not making any sense. Known what? What are you talking about?"

Stephanie's blue eyes were wide as they pleaded with Lynn to understand. Her tone was panicked. "I love Paul. I really do. You have to believe me."

"I do. Of course I do."

"And I didn't mean to intentionally hurt him." she cried.

Lynn's eyes narrowed in her direction. Stephanie's words sounded all too familiar. She had heard them once before just a matter of hours ago in the hotel corridor. She'd mentioned hurting Paul then and it hadn't made any sense just like it wasn't making any sense now. What the hell had she done?

"I'm going to tell him tonight. I swear." Stephanie confessed instantly biting her tongue knowing she had said too much yet wanting to unburden the tremendous weight of guilt she was sick of carrying around. It was becoming all too much. She hated feeling this way. She hated knowing she was hurting two people who truly didn't deserve to be hurt. God, she was such a bitch. They were both probably better off without her anyway.

"Tell him what?" demanded Lynn gripping her arm a little more tightly.

Stephanie shook her head. "Please don't do this. Not now. Not until I've had the chance to talk to Paul."

"Why? Is there someone else?"

Stephanie's eyes immediately drifted to the floor and she swallowed hard. Her throat was hot and suddenly dry. She felt Lynn's hand fall away from her arm as the tears threatened to fall once more.

"My God, there is. Isn't there?"

A solitary tear trickled down her cheek as Stephanie lifted her head and met the pair of disappointed brown eyes. God, they were so like Paul's conveying every single emotion. His would be full of disappointment too and probably hatred. Hatred for her deceit and hatred for what she had done to him.

"I don't believe this. How could you do this?"

Stephanie remained silent unable to find the words to justify her actions as she blinked back her tears. She wasn't going to cry. She didn't deserve to.

"You know everything he's been through with Andrea yet you're doing exactly what she did." snapped Lynn.

Stephanie immediately shook her head feeling a little defensive at the comparison.

"This is different."

"How? You're cheating on Paul aren't you?" she shouted.

Stephanie sniffed and decided she had to at least try and explain. After all, what had she got to lose? Nothing except for her heart and she had a feeling that it would probably always belong to Paul no matter what. She pushed her fingers through her hair trying to figure out the best way to start.

"Well aren't you?" repeated Lynn.

Stephanie sighed and shrugged her shoulders. "Actually I suppose you could say it's the other way round. I'm cheating on someone else with Paul."

"What?"

Stephanie smiled sadly. "His name is Ethan. We've been together a couple of years."

She licked her lips and exhaled slowly as she noticed the confused look on Lynn's face. She sighed resigning herself to telling her everything and hoping she'd understand. It was too late for anything else now. Stephanie took a couple of slow steps towards the back of the room before turning to face Lynn with a sad smile.

"We met in a coffee shop. I loved him. Or at least I thought I did. Then I came here with Paul and within a matter of hours my whole world was turned completely on its head. I forgot all about Ethan. It was so easy to put him to the back of my mind and as cruel as that sounds, it was the truth. He didn't seem to matter. Not to me, not anymore and that was when I realised what I felt for him wasn't love. It couldn't be. Not when I felt that way not to mention having all these scary and intense feelings for someone else, feelings that are so real that my heart bursts every time I'm near Paul or even think about him. I'm head over heels in love with him, Lynn."

Lynn appeared stunned as she tried to take it all in. "So I take it Paul knows nothing about this Ethan?"

Stephanie pressed her lips together and shook her head.

"And were you ever planning on telling him?"

"Honestly?"

Lynn nodded.

"Not before today. I knew Ethan and I were over and I didn't see the point."

"And does Ethan know this?"

Stephanie hesitated a moment before shaking her head.

"Steph!"

"Look, I'm going to tell him the minute I get home. I just didn't want to do it over a phone call. He deserves better than that. He does."

Lynn shook her head in shocked disbelief. "I don't know what to say."

"Me neither."

"You do know that you still have to tell Paul the truth though, don't you?"

Stephanie sadly nodded her head. "I know I can't lie to him any longer."

Just then there was a muffled bang at the top of the cellar steps. Stephanie gasped and stared at Lynn, her heart pounding madly in her chest. They both quickly ascended the steps and stared down the deserted hallway. The house was in silence apart from the sound of laughter that drifted through the open window. The left hand side was concealed with the closed wooden shutter. Lynn's body relaxed with her relieved sigh.

"It was the shutter. We're okay." She gave Stephanie a brief smile as she gestured towards the sound of the voices. "We should probably join them before someone sends out a search party."

She turned to walk away but Stephanie called out her name, stopping her in her tracks. Lynn looked at her, noticing her complexion was suddenly terribly pale as her long manicured fingers wrung together anxiously. Stephanie looked like she had seen a ghost. She couldn't help but feel a wave of sympathy towards her. She knew she hadn't deliberately set out to deceive her brother. She hadn't meant to fall in love with him but she had and she knew for a fact her brother had fallen for her too. That meant he was at risk of getting hurt all over again. The only thing that might stop that happening was some honesty. God knows it was the least that he deserved. Lynn sighed heavily and pushed her hair back from her face.

"If you really want a future with Paul, then you have to tell him tonight. He needs to know he can trust you. It's the only way." Her brown eyes hardened as she continued. "And I'm afraid if you don't tell him, then I'll have to. I can't watch him get hurt all over again, Stephanie. You understand that, don't you?"

Stephanie nodded and forced back her tears as she slowly followed behind Lynn. As they made their way into the kitchen, a door creaked open in the hallway and the footsteps made their way back to the cellar.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Paul scraped back his chair and got to his feet lifting his beer from the table just as his Aunt Jane emerged with another bottle of wine. He absently scratched at his cheek as a few loose blonde strands blew in the light breeze tickling his face. He could still feel the warmth in the evening sun as it began to set behind the hills casting the gardens in a pretty orange hue. His brown eyes searched for Stephanie as he brought the glass bottle to his lips and took a mouthful of his drink. She had disappeared after dessert and he hadn't had the chance to find her up until now. Every time he tried, someone else would engage him conversation and he would stand there politely pretending to appear interested while his mind would drift to Stephanie. He couldn't help himself. She was all he could think about lately, although tonight it was for completely different reasons. He was worried about her despite Lynn reassuring him that they had talked and things were just fine between them. Stephanie was still so quiet and preoccupied. She had hardly said a word all through dessert and he swore he could detect a trace of sadness masked in her pretty blue eyes, the same sadness he had sensed when he had talked to her earlier standing underneath the oak tree.

Quickly glancing over in that direction, his lips curved into a gentle smile as he swallowed the cold liquid, recognising the pair of long, tanned legs stretched out across the grass. It appeared his search was over. Paul descended the few short steps leading down from the patio, the sound of laughter following him as he walked towards the oak, flattening the lush green grass underfoot. He stifled a yawn as the neck of his bottle dangled between his thick fingers. Pushing his hair behind his left ear, he prayed that this damn rehearsal dinner would be over soon and they could get the hell out of here. Quite frankly, he'd had enough of the whole fiasco. His hangover was still lingering despite the couple of beers he had consumed and his body was starting to crave a decent night's sleep. Of course, he still had tomorrow to get through. He really needed to question his own sanity for that. What idiotic bastard would attend the wedding of an ex-girlfriend and not only that, watch her marry the guy he had caught her in bed with? Although he supposed it was a little different being Nick was family and all. He sort of felt obligated to accept the invitation. Then there was his stupid male pride getting in the way giving him the bright idea to ask a virtual stranger to pretend to be his date. Not that it ever felt like a pretence, not to him. Not really. From the moment he had met Stephanie, her beautiful smile had put him at ease and something had clicked between them. It was probably why she was the first person to pop into his head the moment his mother had pressed him for a name to his lie. Of course it had never even entered his mind that he could ever fall for her. How naïve he had been.

Paul's expression softened as he approached her. Stephanie glanced up as his shadow fell across her blocking the fading rays of the sun.

"So this is where you've disappeared to." he smiled as he lowered himself to the ground. He shifted closer tugging down the leg of his trousers as he settled his bottle of beer against his thigh. The shoulder of his crisp white shirt brushed against hers as he twisted his body to face her. He let himself admire her creamy skin and her soft full lips for a second before he cleared his throat and nudged her gently. "You know we'll have to stop meeting like this. This is the second time I've found you sitting under here tonight."

A flicker of amusement crossed Stephanie's face as she tilted her face towards the sun, catching the faint intoxicating scent of his cologne. "Keeping score, Levesque?"

"Something like that." he chuckled. His brown eyes settled on her face as he watched her take a sip of her wine. His smile slowly faded as his concern for her etched its way onto his crinkled brow. "So, are you okay?"

"Sure." Stephanie replied almost too quickly resting the base of her wine glass on her lap. She forced a smile as she smoothed down the hem of her black chiffon dress and turned to look at him resisting the urge to brush away the wayward blonde strand that hovered over his left eye. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Paul lifted his shoulder in a shrug. "I don't know. You seemed a little preoccupied during dinner."

Stephanie quickly shook her head. "I didn't mean to be. I'm fine. Really." she said. This time she couldn't help herself and reached across to squeeze his hand as it rested on his firm thigh. His skin felt warm and soft and she let herself enjoy his touch allowing her hand to linger there. She wanted to feel as close to him as possible. God knows it could be the last time she ever touched him. Every second that passed was just another second closer to the possibility of losing him. Deliberately pushing that sad thought from her mind, she licked her lips letting out a silent shaky breath as Paul's fingers slid through hers. "I'm just tired, that's all." she explained.

"Well, with all the champagne you drank this afternoon, I'm surprised you haven't passed out already."

Stephanie's mouth parted open in protest as his brown eyes twinkled back at her. Shadows fell across his handsome face. She nudged him with her shoulder trying her best to conceal the smile that twitched at her lips. "I didn't drink that much. I only had a couple of glasses."

"A couple of glasses my ass, Steph. You were gibbering like an idiot all the way back in the car."

Her blue eyes widened. "I was not."

"You were too. I had to switch on the radio just to drown you out."

Stephanie laughed as she shook her head. He caught the sparkle in her big blue pools and Paul felt his heart lift as his thumb lightly traced her knuckles.

"Finally." he said.

"Finally what?" asked Stephanie, her eyes narrowing in curiosity.

"Finally I get to see that beautiful smile of yours."

His forehead rested against hers and their noses brushed gently together causing her breath to catch in her throat. But not even the anticipation of his kiss could hide the guilt she felt inside, the guilt that she had felt all evening forcing her to keep her distance from Paul. She couldn't help it. She could hardly look him in the eye anymore. The truth about Ethan was like a huge burden on her shoulders. Lynn was right. The sooner she was honest with him, the better. God knows he'd experienced enough hurt and lies at the hands of Andrea. She just hoped he understood. Paul had to know that none of this was intentional. After all, he had admitted he was struggling to catch his breath too. He was just as surprised by their unexpected feelings for one another as she was. Everything had crept up on them so fast. Letting her eye lids flutter shut, Stephanie felt his warmth breath dance on her lips. "Paul….."

"Sshhhh." he whispered against her mouth cutting off her words as he kissed her softly making her melt into him. Her heart raced as his fingertips lightly trailed up her arm making her lightly tremble inside.

"Paul, is that you?"

Stephanie felt Paul groan against her lips as he slowly pulled away rolling his eyes as he called out to his sister.

"Get lost will ya?"

As Stephanie looked up to see Lynn smirking at her brother, disappointment washed through her but there was also relief. Relief that the conversation she was dreading had been put off just that little bit longer. It let her hold onto the pretence that everything was fine. She also knew that deep down, now really wasn't the place and the time to tell Paul about Ethan. She'd let her guilt get the better of her just then. She would wait until they were alone back at the hotel. She just hoped her nerves could hold out until then because right now, they were absolutely shot. The knowledge that her time with Paul could be limited was killing her inside.

"I've been looking for you. Mom sent me to find you." Lynn said flopping down on the grass sitting opposite her brother. She flicked her blonde strands over her shoulder as she swatted at some small insect hovering around her.

"Why?" asked Paul.

Lynn lifted her shoulder in a shrug. "You know Mom. She probably thinks you're on the phone to some business client or something."

"But it's the weekend."

"Like that makes any difference to you."

Paul's nose wrinkled with his scowl. "What do you mean?"

"What I mean is you never stop, Paul." Lynn told him. "You work twenty four seven. God knows we hardly see you any more except maybe during the holidays or the odd birthday." She paused as she lifted her finger to scratch at her sun kissed nose. "You know I couldn't even tell you the last time you were over to the house for dinner."

Paul sighed as he shifted on the grass and Stephanie's hand felt cold as he removed his fingers from hers pushing the blonde strands from his eye. "I've just been busy that's all."

"Yeah, well there's more to life than just work. You need to get out more and have a little fun."

Paul's shoulders shook with his chuckle as he rested back against the oak tree. "Is this you giving me some sisterly advice?"

"Yes. Not that you'll listen to it of course. You never do." Lynn glanced up briefly at the sky lightly chewing on her lip. "By the way, what time is it? I left my watch at the hotel."

Paul lifted his shoulder in a shrug as he checked his watch. His brown eyes narrowed as he tried to peer at the gold hands that were partially hidden by the darkening shadows of nightfall. He tilted his arm to the left catching the thin shaft of fading light that danced between the branches of the tree illuminating the glass face. "It's almost ten." he sighed stretching his legs out across the lawn.

He rested back against the trunk of the old oak while the fingers of his left hand began to brush through the soft strands of Stephanie's hair. As he breathed in gently he caught the faint scent of her floral shampoo. Her head was now resting on his shoulder while her manicured finger traced the rim of her crystal wine glass.

"Please tell me we can leave soon." he pleaded to his older sibling.

"Sorry but no can do." replied Lynn, shaking her head. "Aunt Jane talked with Mom and insisted that we stay a little while longer. She's in the house now preparing nibbles and hunting out old photographs."

Paul groaned in disdain. "You have got to be fucking kidding me?"

She grinned at him widely as she absently picked at the short strands of grass. "I knew you would be pleased."

"No shit." Lifting the bottle of beer that rested against his thick thigh, he drained the dregs and licked his lips as he loosely gripped the glass neck between his fingers. "I think we should make a run for it before anyone notices we're gone." he stated.

"No you don't." said Lynn quickly throwing the loose grass in his direction. "Mom will kill you." Suddenly her brown eyes caught some movement on the patio and a glower crossed her face as she saw Andrea sit down at the dining table next to Nick.

"Why the hell is she still here?"

"Who?" asked Paul.

"Andrea. Her parents left a while back. She was supposed to be leaving with them."

Paul pressed his lips together and shrugged. "I don't know. I don't care either."

"Yeah well she should high tail it back to the hotel and fast. That bitch is going to need very single ounce of beauty sleep that she can get."

"Lynn." he warned.

"I'm only speaking the truth. She's ugly and vile. God knows what you ever saw in her."

"Yeah, well you were the one who introduced us, remember?"

Lynn winced as she watched Andrea flick her hair back and examine her perfectly manicured nails. "Remind me never to let you meet my friends again."

"With pleasure."

She grinned at her brother. "Oh by the way I meant to tell you that Jo was devastated when she heard you were bringing a date to the wedding."

Paul visibly cringed at the mention of her name causing Lynn to chuckle with laughter and Stephanie to lift her head and glance between the two siblings with a bemused expression on her face.

"Who's Jo?" she asked curiously.

"My next door neighbour." explained Lynn. "She's totally infatuated with Paul and has been for years. She even tried to maul him one Christmas underneath the mistletoe."

Paul scowled. "She stuck her tongue in my mouth. It was fucking disgusting."

Lynn shook her head in amusement as she turned to Stephanie. "You know I found him in the bathroom afterwards gargling on half a bottle of mouthwash."

Lynn's eyes narrowed in her brother's direction as she watched him rise to his feet, brushing off the odd blade of grass stuck to the black material of his trousers.

"Where are you going?"

Paul sniffed as he lifted his big hand raking his fingers through his blonde strands. "I'm going to get some more beer. The only way I can get through the rest of tonight is to get completely trashed."

"But how will we get back to the hotel?"

Paul smiled smugly as he searched in his trouser pocket and tossed her the keys to his Expedition. Lynn's matching brown eyes were wide with surprise as she reached out and caught them between her fingertips. "You're sober. You can drive us back."

"What? You're actually trusting me with your car?" she replied in disbelief.

Paul's shoulders shook with his amused chuckle. "Call it a moment of weakness." As he took a step towards the house, he turned back to her, pointing his finger in her direction. A playful scowl crossed his face. "But I'm warning you now. One mark on her and I will kill you."

As Lynn made a face at him, he ignored her and smiled at Stephanie. "Can I get you another drink?"

She shook her head.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

Satisfied, he nodded and set off in the direction of the house hearing the sound of Lynn's laughter behind him. He smiled to himself happy that she seemed to be cool with the whole situation with Stephanie. He knew she would be. He just wished he'd given her enough credit and had been honest with her from the start. Although he still wasn't sure how understanding she would be if she knew the whole truth about how they met. Not that Lynn would ever find out. Not from him. He had no intentions of telling her that part particularly out of respect to Stephanie. She obviously kept it a secret and had admitted to him that only her best friend knew about her job at the escort agency. She hadn't even told her family and he could understand why. No matter how reputable it was, everybody had their own preconceived notions about what it entailed. People would get the wrong end of the stick, including his sister.

Kicking at a stone just outside the door, Paul entered the side door to the house leading straight to the kitchen. It was in silence apart from the humming sound of the dishwasher kicking into life. He whistled to himself as his shoes scuffed against the tiled floor. Spotting the trashcan by the open window, he dumped his empty bottle inside. His mother's voice drifted through from the patio and he smiled as he heard the slight slur to her words. She'd obviously partaken in a few glasses of wine with his Aunt. Hopefully after another glass or two, they'd forget all about the damn photographs and he could persuade Lynn to drive them back to the hotel. He wasn't planning on sticking around here too much longer plus he was looking forward to getting Stephanie alone. Maybe they could even continue where they left off before his damn sister interrupted them.

Smirking to himself, Paul opened the refrigerator. His thick forearm rested on the top of the door while he grabbed a couple of bottles from the shelf.

"Paul?"

He felt his body immediately tense as he heard her voice. Sighing heavily he closed over the refrigerator gripping the two bottle necks between his fingers, the coldness chilling his skin. Looking round, he saw Andrea leaning against the door frame. He shook his head in disbelief, his blonde strands shifting across his shoulders. "What the hell do you want now?"

"Do you have to be so hostile?"

Her hurt expression was pathetic and Paul rolled his eyes impatiently. "Look Andrea, I'm not in the mood. Just say what you have to say so I can get the hell out of here."

"We need to talk…."

"No we don't." he said simply. "I've said everything I needed to say to you earlier at the hotel. Now, if you'll excuse me….."

As he tried to brush past her, Andrea gripped hold of his arm. "Please. There's something you need to know." she stressed.

Paul sighed heavily. There was an almost desperate look in her doe-like grey eyes, eyes that were once so familiar but were now eyes that belonged to a stranger. Once upon a time that realisation would have made him feel sad but now he was just relieved, relieved that the past was finally just that, the past. Shrugging her off, he slowly shook his head. "Look, just save your breath, okay? I'm sick of you and me. I'm sick of the whole damn story."

"But this isn't about you and me."

"Then what is it about?" he asked impatiently glancing over Andrea's shoulder down the empty hallway while mentally kicking himself for even asking the question. He wasn't even really interested in anything she had to say. Not any more.

"It's about you and Stephanie."

His brown eyes flashed with his anger. "Quite frankly, that's none of your concern."

"No but it should be yours."

"What the fuck are talking about?"

"She's lying to you, Paul. She's in love with someone else."

Paul snorted in disbelief as he crossed his huge arms over his chest. The glass bottles in his hand clinked together as he shifted his feet underneath him, his nose wrinkled with his anger. He honestly couldn't believe the audacity of this bitch. Her lips were curved into an ugly, spiteful smile and he suddenly wondered just what the hell he had ever seen in her. "You know, you're unbelievable. Just because you're so easily capable of betrayal, don't tar everybody else with the same brush."

"Just ask her, Paul. Ask her to tell you the truth."

He ignored her smug expression as he took a step back, distancing himself from her. "I don't have to."

He dropped his arms to his side and turned to walk away when her voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Then ask Lynn. Ask her about the cosy little conversation she had with Stephanie just a while ago."

Paul's brown eyes narrowed suspiciously in her direction. "What the hell are you on about now Andrea?"

"Lynn knows Paul."

"Lynn knows what?"

"Andrea!"

Paul spun on his heel and saw his sister walking down the hallway, her hand resting on her small rounded stomach. His brown eyes were confused as he saw the anger in her expression as she glared at her former friend.

"I'd shut the hell up if I were you." she warned her.

Andrea pressed her lips together smugly. She cocked her eyebrow as she looked at Lynn tossing her blonde hair over her shoulder. "Why? Are you worried your brother will find out the truth about his little cheating girlfriend?"

"You're a fucking bitch, you know that?"

As Lynn lunged towards Andrea, Paul quickly placed the bottles in his hand on the small kitchen table just inside the door. He gripped his sister's arm to stop her. The last thing he wanted was a fight on his hands. He tugged her back towards him, looking at her feeling completely astonished. "Are you crazy? You're pregnant, remember?"

Lynn dropped her head in embarrassment, her anger momentarily getting the better of her senses.

"Just leave it. She isn't worth it." he told her.

"Go ahead and ask her, Paul. See if she's got the guts to tell you the truth."

Paul felt himself bristle with anger as he looked over at Andrea. "Why don't you just shut the fuck up and get the hell out of my face?"

"But Paul…"

"I mean it. Get out."

Lynn heard the venom in her brother's voice as Andrea's footsteps disappeared down the hallway. Paul let go of her arm and she swallowed thickly as she watched him stand silently in front of her. His shoulders rose and fell with his controlled breathing. She could see the rage in his eyes and his jaw was clenched. He was obviously trying to keep his temper. God knows Andrea could always push his buttons. She could only imagine what he was thinking right now after she had told him about Stephanie. But how the hell had Andrea overheard their conversation? It was no wonder she hadn't left tonight along with her parents. It all made sense now. She'd obviously been planning to tell Paul all along just waiting for a moment to catch him alone. She was nothing but a vindictive bitch.

"She's telling the truth, isn't she?"

Lynn shook her head as she sighed heavily. "Paul, it's not as cut and dried as it seems."

"But you knew about it?"

Behind the anger, she could hear the pain in his voice. Lynn glanced away briefly suddenly feeling guilty for her silence. "Like I said, it's complicated."

"Where is she?"

Lynn's brown eyes widened as they frantically scanned her brother's face. She could feel the anxiety starting to twist in the pit of her stomach. "Paul….."

"Where's Stephanie?" he repeated, cutting her off.

"She's talking with Dad outside." she whispered.

With a curt nod, he left the kitchen in silence. Lynn felt the tears prick her eyes as she stood there stunned, unable to move, not sure what the hell had just happened…..


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

The blood beat loudly in his ears. Paul slammed the shutter door behind him, the force causing the glass to rattle in the painted wooden frame. His brown eyes were trained on the gravel as he strode purposefully towards the garden, his footsteps crunching heavily underneath him. The moon washed over the path in a dim white light and he followed his elongated shadow round the corner of the house and onto the neatly trimmed lawn. Despite his assured movements, he felt like he was trapped in some sort of haze, like he was sleepwalking or something. Andrea's accusation had him completely stunned. He was struggling to take in the truth about Stephanie never mind the fact that his sister was somehow mixed up in it all too. He just wasn't sure what he was thinking right now. He felt angry, lost, hurt and confused all at once. His emotions were all jumbled up inside and he wasn't sure he liked it. All he could focus on was the fact that he needed to find Stephanie and confront her about what Andrea had told him. Hopefully she would at least have the decency to be honest with him. He was so sick and tired of all the games and God knows, it would be a first in his life for a woman to be completely truthful with him.

Drifting towards the large patio, Paul scanned the vast garden. Someone had switched on the small lanterns surrounding the perfectly manicured borders and it bathed the darkened lawn in a soft glow. As he peered through the shadows, he thought he saw movement down the bottom end of the garden.

"Paul."

He jumped slightly startled at the sound of his name as he felt his mother's hand grip his arm. The balmy evening breeze blew through his soft blonde strands as she smiled at him, gently guiding him towards his Aunt who was sitting on a small deck chair on the patio. Her wine glass dangled between her fingers as her other hand beckoned him towards her, patting the empty seat next to her. He shook his head, smiling tightly, itching to leave already.

"I was just telling Aunt Jane all about your house. She couldn't believe you had a Jacuzzi in your bathroom as well as one of those fancy glass shower cubicles."

Patricia beamed proudly as she turned to her sister. "You should see it Jane. The bathroom is like something out of one of those glossy interior design magazines. I couldn't believe my eyes when I first saw it. In fact, the whole house is decorated beautifully and the flooring is just amazing. What do you call it again, honey?"

Paul rolled his eyes as his feet shifted on the slabs, scuffing over the concrete. He wasn't in the mood for participating in any form of conversation. He absently glanced back in the direction of the garden as his fingers tugged at the cuff of his black jacket. "It's called wood, Ma."

"Don't be smart!" she scolded, slapping at his arm lightly and getting his attention once more, her nose crinkled with her scowl. "I know that it's wood. Your mother isn't that senile yet, you know. What I meant is what kind of wood is it?"

Paul shook his head, his lips down turning into an impatient frown. "I don't know, I think it's oak or something. Look Mom, can we talk about this later?"

"Why? What's wrong?" she asked, her eyes narrowing into suspicious slits.

He lifted his shoulder in a light shrug trying his best to appear casual and ward off his mother's uncanny knack for knowing when something was troubling him even under the influence of too much wine. The last thing he needed was her even suspecting that something was amiss. He wasn't sure he could cope with the interrogation and it wasn't like he could even admit the truth. "It's nothing. I was just looking for Stephanie, that's all."

"Well I saw her a few minutes ago. She was with your father just down by the pond."

He smiled his thanks as he took a step in the direction of the garden.

"She's a lovely girl, Paul. I didn't realise she was born and raised in New York." said Jane, halting him in his tracks.

Paul nodded as he looked over towards the pond. He vaguely made out the figures standing in the shadows. His lips pressed together tightly as he sniffed, raking his fingers through his hair.

"I wonder if she knows Cathy Smart's youngest, Susan. My, that girl, she's a bit of a wild one, I tell you. Stumbling home drunk before she was barely fourteen." said Jane, shaking her head in disapproval as she shifted in her chair. "I said to Cathy she'd better watch out or she's going to have big trouble on her hands. There's too much temptation for young girls out in those big cities nowadays what with the drugs and the sex and everything. It's nothing like it was back in our day, you know."

Paul slowly began to back away, his head slightly throbbing at the sound of his aunt's voice. He was feeling edgy, desperate to escape from the mindless conversation. "Listen Ma, I'm just going to catch up with Steph, okay?" he told her.

"Okay dear." she smiled.

Paul turned on his heel, grateful to be escaping and jogged down the handful of concrete steps.

"But remember to come back and tell Aunt Jane all about your flooring." she called out after him.

He lifted his hand in a dismissive wave as he moved through the shadows on the lawn towards the pond. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Nick sitting with Andrea on a garden bench on the opposite side. He instantly bristled with anger as he heard the sound of her high-pitched laughter carrying in the breeze. It obviously hadn't bothered her in the least dropping her little bombshell a moment ago and fucking around with people's lives. She really was one twisted bitch. If he never saw her again after this weekend, it would be far too soon. In fact, he would be happy to pretend this weekend never even happened. Why he'd even agreed to come here, he didn't know. He had to have been completely out of his mind. Even the one good thing he thought he had gotten out of it had turned out to be nothing more than a lie. Then again, this whole weekend had been nothing but one huge big lie from the start and he had no one else to blame for that but himself. It was his lie after all.

Sighing softly, Paul's big hand lifted to rub wearily at his face before pushing his long blonde strands behind his ear. His father's voice guided him to the end of the pond where he was standing with Stephanie. She was facing him and he could see the hint of a smile playing at the corner of her lips, her face gently illuminated by the pale moonlight. Her brow was etched in concentration as she listened to his father. Stephanie always gave people her full attention during conversations. It was one of the many things he had learned about her the past few days. It was just a pity he hadn't learned a lot of others things too like the fact she was currently attached to another man. As he lightly snorted in disgust, Stephanie was alerted to his presence and her blue eyes widened as she spotted him over his father's shoulders.

"Hey." she smiled, greeting him.

Paul licked his lips and nodded curtly. Now he was standing face to face with her, his words were frozen. He couldn't conduct simple pleasantries, not when all he could think about was the fact she was with somebody else, somebody who wasn't him and somebody who she was probably truly in love with. Suddenly the feelings she had confessed to having for him felt like one big cruel joke. He swallowed thickly and his brown eyes settled on her just his father turned around and grinned at him, wrapping his arm around his shoulder, patting it enthusiastically.

"There he is. My little league champion of '79."

Paul groaned in a mixture of embarrassment and frustration as he turned to him, shaking his head. "Dad, do we have to get into this?"

"You know I was just telling Stephanie how proud I was when you made that home run that day."

Paul sighed heavily as his father squeezed his arm, pulling him close to him. He could smell the strong scent of alcohol on his breath as the beer bottle dangled from his fingers. Why the fuck did his parents always feel the need to reminisce about his childhood every time they got loaded?

"I remember it all so vividly you know." said his father, looking at Stephanie with a proud expression on his face. "It was a Saturday afternoon, one of the hottest that spring. The game was tied at four and it was the last innings. Paul had just stepped up to the plate. My heart was in my mouth when he took his first swing and I watched him whack that ball right into the bleachers. I'm telling you the whole crowd went mad. People were cheering and stamping their feet. It was the first time the school team had won a championship in over fifteen years and my son, he made it happen you know."

"Dad, I'm pretty sure Stephanie doesn't want to hear all this."

"And why the hell not? I'm sure she'll be as every bit as proud of you as I was, as I am because I am truly proud of you, son. I'm so proud of everything you've accomplished." he stressed, his voice catching with emotion as he enveloped his large frame in a hug.

Paul rolled his eyes dryly into the darkness as he returned the embrace, his big hand patting his back affectionately.

"You know maybe you should lay off the beer, Pop."

His father ignored him as he pulled away, his eyes suddenly widening as he spotted his wife approaching through the shadows.

"Patricia, come here and tell Stephanie all about that ball game." he cried.

Paul shook his head quickly and while his father's attention was diverted to his mother, he grabbed Stephanie's hand and tugged her in the opposite direction, towards the small path to the river.

"Come on. We need to get out of here." he muttered, his eyes focused straight ahead as he guided her through the garden.

"Why? Where are we going?" she asked, slightly panting as she tried to keep up with his large strides.

She could feel the heels of her sandals sinking into the soft grass. The moonlight disappeared behind the large tree and suddenly the path in front of her was in darkness. She gripped Paul's hand a little tighter. Thankfully she could see lights in the road just ahead of them and she felt a little easier as they washed over the small gate. Paul said nothing as he let go of her hand and held it open for her.

"Thanks." she smiled as she stepped out into the quiet road.

She could hear the crickets chirping in the bushes that aligned the street. She shivered slightly feeling the nightly chill in the breeze. Rubbing her bare left arm in a vain attempt to warm herself up, she turned to smile at Paul who now stood beside her. His expression was blank as he turned to his right.

"Let's go this way."

Stephanie nodded as she bit down on her lip. Their footsteps fell into time with one another echoing along the deserted road and allowing herself to steal a glance at Paul, Stephanie quickly wished she hadn't. It was more than obvious that his mood had changed dramatically in the short time he was gone. His silence alone spoke volumes to her and she couldn't help but feel worried but that somehow it was related to her. Her own guilt made her uneasy never mind anything else.

"So, now I know why you were worried about Lynn back at the hotel."

Stephanie stopped in her tracks as his words sunk in, shocking her. She could feel her bottom lip tremble slightly as Paul turned to look at her. The icy glare in his big brown eyes caused her fear to clutch heavily at her chest. Any trace of warmth or familiarity in the dark pools had disappeared. It was like she was a stranger, like they'd never even met before. She felt the lump envelop in her throat as she quickly realised the truth.

"You know, don't you?" she asked shakily.

"Yeah, I know."

"Who….?"

"Does it really matter?" he said harshly, cutting her off.

Stephanie swallowed hard as she slowly shook her head. "No."

"I mean it's not going to change the fact you're with someone else now, is it?"

She saw the flicker of pain in Paul's expression and she knew that his pain wasn't just about her. It was the pain he felt for Andrea and her betrayal in the past too, a pain that she had brought back tenfold with her inability to be straight with him.

"Why the fuck didn't you tell me, Stephanie?" asked Paul, his nose crinkled with his anger.

Stephanie's blue eyes were apologetic as she reached out to him only to watch him deliberately step away from her touch. Her defeated sigh drifted off into the wind.

"Look I'm sorry. I just…I honestly thought there was nothing to tell because Ethan and I? We're over, Paul. I knew that the minute I came here with you and realised how I felt about you."

"And it never crossed your mind to mention him to me, to bring him in the conversation?"

"I didn't think it was that important. When we got home, I was going to end things. I was going to tell him about you but I wanted to do it face to face. After two years together, it's the least he deserves."

Paul's mouth parted in astonishment as he stared at her in disbelief. "Two years? You've been with this guy for two years and you didn't think your relationship with him was important?"

"That's not what I meant!" she cried, her voice wavering with emotion as she felt the hot tears prick her eyes. She quickly blinked them back pushing away her wayward brown strands that tickled her face desperate to find the words that would make him understand. "Look, I know how this seems okay but you have to know that I didn't plan any of this, Paul. I mean, the last thing I expected was to fall for you. This was supposed to be nothing more than a business arrangement between us."

Paul snorted. "It's a convenient excuse for you, isn't it? The fact this is business?"

"It's not an excuse, it's the truth." she stressed.

"Well it's nice to see you are actually capable of being honest with me."

Stephanie sniffed back her tears. "That's not fair."

"Isn't it?"

"No it's not." she snapped, his accusatory tone suddenly making her angry and she took a step towards him, closing the short distance between them. Her blue eyes were stormy and determined as she glared at him. "And anyway, who the hell are you to judge me? Okay I made a mistake. I should have told you the truth about Ethan. I should have been honest with you but this was supposed to be business, remember? A business arrangement that you came up with by the way. It was nobody else. And why did you come up with it? I'll tell you why." she stated pointing her manicured finger in his direction. "It's because you're the one that has been lying, Paul. Lying to yourself and lying to your family by paying me five thousand bucks to be your girlfriend for a weekend." Stephanie shook her head in frustration as her hand dropped to her side. "Fuck. For all I know come Monday morning we'll be back in the real world and you'll be recommending me to a friend. I mean it would be terribly stupid to think that any of this was real now, wouldn't it?"

Paul's brown eyes flinched with hurt at her words but he couldn't deny the element of truth behind them. This couldn't be real. How could it be when they'd only known one another for a matter of days? Even then, they didn't know one another, not really. He didn't know Stephanie's favourite movie, her favourite book or a special song, any of the little things that mattered. Hell, he didn't even know she was in a relationship with some other guy that's how little he knew her. And if Stephanie was with someone else, how could he trust that the feelings she claimed to have for him were real? After all, she had no problem cheating on this guy with him, kissing him and holding him at night for the last three days. There was no guarantee that somewhere down the line she wouldn't turn around cheat on him too and he sure as hell wasn't putting himself in that position that again. Not after Andrea. He was done with women screwing around on him.

Sighing softly, Paul raked his fingers through his hair. He shifted his feet lightly kicking a stone in his path and he realised his anger had disappeared to be replaced with a silent resignation that this was over. It had to be despite the ache in his heart telling him that his feelings for Stephanie were very much real.

"You know what? You're right." he admitted as her big blue eyes watched him carefully. "I am lying to my family and to myself. But do you know what the funny thing is? I was actually stupid enough to fall for that lie and believe it could be true. I actually thought we could have had something here."

Stephanie instinctively reached out for his arm. She could feel his heat underneath the material of his coat. Her tone was desperate and pleading. "But we can, Paul. We do!"

He slowly shook his head stepping away from her. "I don't think so. Not any more."

As he turned to leave, she gripped his arm stopping him. His brown eyes narrowed in her direction.

"Just because you're leaving, don't think I'm letting you go." she told him.

Paul began to laugh but the sound caught in this throat, his emotions suddenly getting the better of him. "Quite frankly Stephanie, you don't have a choice."

Stephanie felt the hot tears prick her eyes as she stood there helpless watching him turn away and leave. "That's right. Go ahead, Paul. Hate me." she shouted. "I mean God knows it took you long enough to get over the whole Andrea thing. Maybe you can hold onto this long enough to avoid another relationship."

But her words fell on deaf ears and she could only wrap her arms around herself and watch him disappear into the darkness.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

The glass door slowly swung over behind him. Paul hooked his finger under the collar of his black suit jacket and slung it over his left shoulder as he walked in the direction of his room. The light creaking of the floor underneath his slow and heavy footsteps was the only sound in the deserted hotel corridor. The hour was late and everywhere was eerily silent. No doubt everyone was fast asleep tucked up in bed, their arms wrapped around their significant other. Last night his arms had been loosely wrapped around Stephanie as he had lain with her in the darkness. He had been completely oblivious to the fact that she didn't really belong there with him. Instead, Stephanie belonged with someone else. So tonight he would be sleeping alone; that's if he even slept at all. His mind was too preoccupied to even try and rest although sadistic would probably be a more accurate description for it. The last couple of hours all he had done was torture himself and replay the same conversation over and over again; the same conversation where Stephanie's big blue eyes would beseech him to forgive her and beg him to understand. But what she didn't realise was that he already understood. He understood perfectly. Stephanie had lied to him and had screwed him around. Well, she wouldn't be screwing him around any more. God knows he'd had enough experience of that with Andrea and like the old saying goes once bitten twice shy. He wasn't going to make the same mistake again, not in this lifetime.

Paul sighed as he stood outside his room. His fingers searched his pocket before pulling out his key card sliding it in the slot in a downward swipe illuminating the green light. His big hand turned the handle and he stepped inside flicking on the nearby switch. The soft glow filled the room and as the door clicked shut behind him, he paused for a second and surveyed his surroundings. He knew without looking in any closet that Stephanie was already gone. The room felt different somehow; a little colder. Empty.

Paul refused to dwell on that thought as he shuffled across the carpet and tossed his jacket down on the neatly made bed. As he lifted his wrist and fumbled with the clasp on his watch, his brown eyes glanced over in the direction of the small table and fell on the item propped up against the vase of fresh tulips. His brow crinkled as he told himself to forget that he knew the flower was one of Stephanie's favourites. Sniffing in an almost dismissive manner, Paul placed his watch on the night stand and slowly walked over to the table, his thick fingers picking up the cream envelope. His name was written in her neat looped scrawl and he briefly wondered where she had found the stationery. It looked expensive. Maybe she had asked for it at the reception desk when she had come back to the hotel. Not that he cared. He really didn't. He also didn't care what was inside this envelope but if that was the case, why was he almost reluctant to open it and see her words. Not that any amount of words would make a difference to him anyway. There was nothing that Stephanie could possibly say that would change the fact that it was over between them. It had to be. He'd been burned before and he had his heart to protect after all. Well, what was left of it that was.

But it was only a matter of seconds before his curiosity got the better of him. Sliding his thick finger along the seal, Paul opened the envelope. As he pulled out the folded sheet of paper, something else broke free and fluttered to the ground. He glanced down at the plush patterned carpet and his brow furrowed as he recognised his usual messy signature. It was a cheque; the same one he had posted to Stephanie's address a few days before arriving here. As he bent down to retrieve it, Paul remembered he had been the one to insist she have the money upfront despite her telling him it wasn't that urgent. She had stressed it was perfectly fine waiting until after they got home. He'd sent it to her anyway and tried to tell himself he was only doing the honourable thing. Stephanie was a college student. She probably needed the money but deep down he knew that wasn't the only reason. The truth was he'd been scared she would have second thoughts and back out of their agreement at the last minute. He knew that couldn't happen. The money had been his way of making sure she had no option but to carry though with the whole thing. After all his stupid pride would have never let him come here without her. But Stephanie had come. She had just never cashed the cheque beforehand. Instead she had brought it here with her and now she had returned it to him. He didn't even want to attempt to try and figure out what the hell that meant, if it actually meant anything at all.

Sighing heavily, Paul straightened up and placing the cheque by the envelope on the table, he raked his fingers through his hair. His brown eyes stared tentatively at the piece of paper dangling between his fingertips. He guessed there would be some sort of explanation for it inside. He just wasn't sure he wanted to hear it, not when there was the slightest possibility his anger might start to dissolve with her apologetic words because right now he was perfectly content being angry with Stephanie. Being angry with her meant there was no chance for feeling any sort of regret. He knew he'd done the right thing walking away from her. Stephanie had at least spoken one truth tonight when she had reminded him that what they had shared wasn't real. It wasn't. The whole thing had been nothing but a pretence right from the very start; a lie. The unfortunate thing was someone had forgotten to tell his heart that and somewhere along the line it had opened up just enough to let her creep her way inside.

Paul's eyes washed over with his blank expression as he continued to stare at the folded paper. Although really he was staring at nothing as once again his mind had decided to dwell solely on her. He just couldn't stop thinking about Stephanie in spite of himself. Even when he heard the loud knock at the door, he briefly wondered if it was her. Not that he wanted it to be Stephanie. He didn't. He didn't want to see her. Besides, there was no point being they had nothing left to say to one another anyway.

The knocking persisted and Paul rolled his eyes stuffing the piece of paper in his pocket. He muttered under his breath as he crossed the room and opened the heavy wooden door.

"Its you." he scowled as he saw his sister standing on the other side.

Her lips twitched with her uneasy guilty smile. "You know I didn't stay mad with you when you withheld the truth from me about Stephanie, so technically you're not allowed to still be mad with me." she reasoned as she pushed her blonde strands behind her ear.

"What do you want Lynn?" he asked her impatiently.

"I just wanted to check and make sure everything was okay with you. I mean you just disappeared. I was worried about you."

Paul said nothing as he stepped away from the door. He heard her familiar footsteps follow him into the room.

"How the hell did you get back here anyway? I still have the keys to your car."

The covers crumpled underneath him as he sat down heavily on the bed. He lifted his shoulder in a shrug as he scratched at his beard. "I walked around a little then I caught a cab."

Lynn nodded her head as she rubbed her rounded stomach. Her eyes drifted around the room searching for any evidence and in not finding any, she knew she had her answer. "So, Stephanie is gone then?" she said.

"It looks that way." he sighed.

"And you just let her go?"

Paul looked up and narrowed his eyes at her accusation. "Actually I had no choice in that. She was already gone before I even got here."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm not." he told her simply as he rested his forearms on his thick thighs and sighing he leant forward, his blonde hair falling like a curtain over his face. He could feel the mattress dipping underneath her weight as Lynn sat down in the space next to him. He briefly glanced down at the floor as he slid his fingers together.

"So I take it things didn't go so well when you talked to her earlier."

"Not so much, no."

"So what happened?"

He tilted his head up to look at her through his long strands. "I'd rather not talk about it if you don't mind."

"So you're still angry with her then?"

Paul's nose wrinkled with his annoyance as he sat up and his big hand lifted to sweep his hair back from his forehead. His brown eyes flashed with his angry snort. "Of course I am! She's seeing someone else for fuck sake. But of course you knew that already, didn't you?"

Lynn sighed and watched him abruptly stand up from the bed. His shoulders were tense as he stood with his broad back to her. She briefly wondered if she was taking her life into her own hands trying to talk to her brother right now. He clearly wasn't in the mood to listen to anything she had to say about Stephanie but God knows she had to try. She had to do something to try and fix this mess. She felt guilty enough about the whole thing as it was. After all Andrea finding out about Ethan was all her fault. Stephanie had practically begged her to let her talk to Paul first. But oh no! She had to go and stick her big nose in and force her to tell her the truth right then and there. And okay she couldn't have known Andrea was listening in at the time but unwittingly she'd given her the perfect ammunition to cause trouble between them. And boy had that vindictive bitch used it too. She could still see the flicker of pain in Paul's expression when he had found out the truth about Stephanie. It had killed her to see it there, even more so knowing she was partly the reason behind it. That's why she had to talk to him and not let him spoil what could be something great for him. The last few days he'd looked so happy and he deserved to be happy after everything he had been through. Plus she had to admit she would get a certain amount of satisfaction of sticking it to Andrea if by some miracle Paul and Stephanie did manage to work things out.

Allowing her lips to lift in a brief smile at that thought, Lynn pushed herself to her feet. Paul's back remained turned to her and she cleared her throat as she stood just behind him resting her hand on his shoulder.

"Look I'm sorry okay?" she sighed. "I'm sorry I never told you the truth about Stephanie but really it wasn't my place to say anything to you. It was up to her to tell you. And she was going to tell you, Paul. She was going to talk to you tonight when you guys got back to the hotel."

"Yeah well obviously that didn't quite work out." he replied as he shifted his feet underneath him crossing his arms in an almost defensive manner across his chest.

Lynn's hand fell away as he turned to her, his brown eyes settling on hers.

"I know." she said, smiling at him apologetically. "And I know how all of this looks to you. But it's not like she planned any of this of this, Paul. Stephanie came here as your friend, remember? She came here to help you out. She didn't expect to fall for you in the process."

Paul shook his head in disbelief as his hands dropped to his sides. "So now you're making excuses for her, huh?"

"I'm not making excuses."

His eyes went wide. "Good! Because she still lied to me, you know. She could have told me about this other guy days ago but she didn't. She decided not to. Why? Why did she do that?" he demanded.

"I don't know, Paul. You'll have to ask Stephanie that question."

"I don't have to ask Stephanie anything because asking her would mean seeing her and I never want to see her again."

Lynn reached her hand out towards his arm. "You don't mean that."

"Yes I do." he told her, shrugging her off.

She sighed heavily throwing her hands up in frustration. "So, that's it. It's over between you. You're not going to give her a chance to explain anything."

"Why should I?"

"Because she cares about you Paul and whether you want to admit it or not, you care about her too."

He paused for a beat before licking his lips. "Not any more I don't."

"Yeah well we both know that's not true."

Paul said nothing as he glanced away and turned to the window. He noticed for the first time that the curtains were drawn. Stephanie must have done it at some point tonight. It was funny how everything came back to her somehow. Not that he was surprised. Since the moment they had arrived here it had been that way even when he hadn't realised it. His feelings for her had sort of snuck up on him unexpectedly. Feelings that he knew wouldn't just disappear overnight no matter how much he protested to the contrary. He was fooling absolutely no-one and that included himself or even his sister. He sighed heavily as he pushed his hair behind his ear.

"You're angry, Paul. I understand that. I do."

He turned from the window to see Lynn standing a few feet away watching him carefully. She approached him hesitantly, her hand resting on the back of a chair.

"God knows you've got every right to be but don't let that anger cloud your judgement over this." she continued. "Don't throw away the chance to make things right between the two of you."

"And why would I want to do that?" he asked her stubbornly holding onto that anger. "Why would I want to make things right, huh? I mean I've just found out she's cheated on a guy she's been with nearly two years. If she can cheat on him, she can sure as hell cheat on me somewhere down the line."

"Not necessarily."

"What do you mean not necessarily? Of course she could."

"Why? She's in love with you Paul. You don't go around cheating on someone you're in love with." She paused for a second as she watched his facial expression falter. It gave her hope she was maybe getting through to him somehow. She smiled at him gently. "You know she told me herself she doesn't love him anymore. I guess she just wanted to do the right thing and tell Ethan that face to face."

His brown eyes grew cold again at the mention of his name. "Like I said, I don't care. Steph and I are over. End of."

He turned to walk away but he didn't get the chance as Lynn's hand gripped him tightly and pulled him round to face her. Her eyes flashed at him determinedly.

"Paul, would you just stop for a second and listen to me? This isn't what you want. And I know with you being my younger annoying sibling I usually hate you getting what you want but right now, I just want you to be happy. And I know you're scared….."

"I'm not scared!" he snorted, interrupting her.

Lynn shook her head. "Paul, you're fucking petrified! And don't even bother trying to deny it!" she told him as she saw his mouth part to deny her accusation. "It's written all over your face but Stephanie's not Andrea, you know. She's not going to do what she did to you. She won't hurt you. She loves you."

"Yeah well she's got a funny way of showing it." he said as he sighed wearily and crossed the short space to the bed. His body slumped forward as he sat down once more. Lynn followed closely behind him. As his head turned sideways to acknowledge her, she saw the sadness in his facial expression; a sadness that had quickly replaced the anger he had held on to so fiercely. It gave her a glimmer of hope that maybe she was getting through to him after all. She twisted her wedding rings on her left finger as she smiled at him.

"You know, I've always really admired you." she admitted to him nudging his shoulder with hers.

"You have?" he asked, surprised.

Lyn nodded. "Since you graduated college, you've known what you wanted to do with your life and you went out there and you just did it. You took something from nothing and look at you. You're this huge success. You run your own company and people respect you. There is nothing you won't do to get what you want. Every day you're taking these huge risks, risks that more often than not, always pay off."

Paul raised his brow. "And your point is?"

"Look just tell me something here and I want you to be completely honest with me, okay?"

"Okay."

"Is there any chance, any chance at all that Stephanie could be the one for you?"

He remained silent, the words hovering on the tip of his tongue. He knew what his answer was. He just didn't want to say it out loud because that would mean his feelings for her were very real despite him trying his best to convince himself otherwise. Not that that tactic was working. The heaviness in his heart reminded him of the truth every time he heard her name or thought about her. Then there the pictures he got in his head; pictures where he would see himself waking up to her face every morning or driving home looking forward to the promise of holding her in his arms; pictures that were so clear and so terrifyingly real.

"Paul?"

He rolled his lips together. He realised it was pointless in trying to deny it to himself any more. His shoulders rose and fell as he exhaled slowly. "Maybe." he admitted reluctantly.

Lynn's lips curved gently with her smile. "Then why are you sitting here? Go after, Paul. Take the risk and go and get what you want."

He quickly shook his head. "I can't."

"Yes you can." she told him sternly as she gripped hold of his hand. She squeezed it gently. "Just swallow that damn pride of yours and go after her. I mean she can't have gone far. She must be somewhere. Maybe she's at a bus station or something."

"I don't know." he said hesitating, not sure if he was prepared to put himself out there again. Stephanie was a risk he wasn't sure he wanted to take a gamble with. He wasn't sure he would survive it if things fell apart. He had a feeling that the woman could completely wreck him. Then again, that statement was probably true with or without her in his life.

"Paul, don't let her get away. Love doesn't come around that often in a lifetime. You've got to grab it while you've got the chance. Don't let it slip away. Don't let what Andrea did to you ruin things for you."

His brown eyes flinched as her last words struck a nerve with him. Stephanie had pretty much said the same thing to him tonight as he had walked away from her. She had accused him of holding onto Andrea's betrayal and using as it an excuse to avoid a relationship with her. Was she right? He had to admit that maybe she was. Maybe he was letting the past dictate what could be his future. And if that was the case, did he really want to live like that? He was so sick and tired of sleeping alone. He hadn't realised how much until the last few days. He'd enjoyed having someone in his life; someone who cared about him and loved him and Stephanie had claimed to love him. The question was could he believe her? Could he trust her? He desperately wanted to but how would he ever know if he didn't give her a chance to explain herself. He'd walked away from her. He'd judged her without even listening to her. If he was honest, he'd compared her actions to Andrea and he'd done her a huge injustice by doing that. Stephanie was nothing like her. They were miles apart. She'd already told him she hadn't expected to come here and find him. He sure as hell hadn't expected it either. Maybe he had been a little too hasty in thinking she had deliberately screwed with him. Maybe he should talk to her. He might live to regret it if he didn't and he wasn't in the habit of living with regrets. It could be the only way he would ever know.

"So are you just going to sit here or are you going to go after her?"

Paul's mind was pretty much made up as he looked at her for a second. His hand slid out from underneath hers as he reached out to playfully push at her. "You know you're a complete pain in the ass."

Lynn's heart lifted as she saw his lips twitch with smile. "Yes I am. I'm a pain in the ass that just wants her baby brother to be happy and from what I've seen the past few days, Stephanie makes you happy. I've seen the way you look at her, you know and it's the exact same way she looks at you too. She loves you, Paul. She really does."

"You've said that already." he quipped.

"So, again I ask you, what are you waiting for? Go find her."

He felt a nervous flutter of anticipation in the pit of his stomach but he tried to act non-chalant as he lifted his shoulder in a shrug. "You've got my car keys."

"But you've been drinking." she reminded him as her eyes sparkled back at him mischievously. "I guess I'm going to have to drive you."

Paul stood up from the bed reluctantly knowing she had a point to her argument. "You're staying in the car." he warned her as he reached for his coat.

"Whatever." she grinned as she stood up and patted her small bump to follow on behind him.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Stephanie dropped to the bench with a weary sigh pushing down on the handle on her small black suitcase. As it rested at the side of her feet, she stretched her legs a little and briefly glanced up at the big clock on the opposite wall. The hands felt like they were mocking her predicament as the seconds ticked by almost in slow motion, reminding her that she had a long five hours to wait before the ticket counter would open and she would be safely on the first bus back to Boston. Back to a life she had been perfectly content with; or at least she had been before she had made this trip. Then Paul had come along with the possibility of something really amazing.

Pressing her lips together tightly, Stephanie tried not to think of any of that as her blue eyes swept over the deserted bus station. She noticed a young couple sitting over in the far corner huddled against one another fast asleep. She took little solace in the fact she wasn't the only person trying to travel at such a ridiculous time of night. She even felt a little envious that they had each other and wondered what they were doing here so late. Maybe they had missed their last bus or maybe they were trying to escape this place just like she was. God knows she was desperate just to go home although in all honesty right now she wasn't sure where that was anymore. Home was supposed to be where your heart was and she knew her heart was here, with one person only. Paul. Leaving him felt like she was leaving a huge piece of her heart behind; the piece of her heart that would always be with him. But she had no choice but to go. All her options had disappeared the second she had made the decision to omit the truth about her relationship with Ethan.

Stephanie leaned forward with a heavy sigh, resting her elbows on her knees as she stared down miserably at the linoleum floor. Her loose ponytail fell around her neck and the knots of guilt twisted in her chest as she thought about the man she had so easily forgotten the last few days. Ethan was so sweet and kind and sincere. He was such a lovely person. He didn't deserve her lies and her betrayal. That's why she was going to be completely honest with him and end it the second she got back to Boston. He deserved to be truly happy. He deserved to be with someone that wasn't her, someone that would love him and really care for him. She just wasn't that person any more. She could never be with him now and settle for less.

Stephanie felt her eyes gloss over with her tears as she remembered those were the same words she had hastily scribbled down in her letter to Paul.

"_You've made me realise what I could have in my life. Being with you has taught me that I can't settle for any less."_

And it was true. What she had felt with Paul had been so wonderful and exciting and she had never felt so much or been so overwhelmed by someone like that before. What she felt for him was so incredible and real. So real she knew she would never find anything like it again. She knew those kind of feelings only came by once in a lifetime if you were really lucky. Her luck had officially run out tonight. The second Paul had confronted her, she knew it was over. He had been so angry with her and not only that, he had been hurt too. Hurt by her and hurt by her inability to be completely honest with him. Even now, she could still see the pain in his eyes. It was a pain that meant he would probably never ever forgive her mistake.

But honestly, while she understood that, she also felt pretty hurt and angry too because not only was she paying for her mistake, she knew she was also paying for Andrea's lies and betrayal. That bitch had screwed him up so badly Paul couldn't let himself trust her when she had told it was over with Ethan. Instead he had been perfectly content to tar her with the same brush as Andrea. He obviously couldn't see she would never break his heart like that. She loved him too much. Something inside her told her that Paul just might love her too but she would never find out. Not when he refused to take the chance on them. He just wasn't prepared to put himself out there one more time and the simple fact of the matter was he was terrified of getting hurt again.

Pushing her hands through her hair, Stephanie felt the dull ache in her chest. She now knew what a broken heart felt like too. This was the last time she got personally involved in business. What the hell had she been thinking agreeing to this in the first place? It was against all her professional rules and now she knew why. She should never have let Paul talk her into coming here. Instead she'd been suckered in with the allure of his generous payment. Although who was she kidding? This had never been about the money. That's why she had never cashed that damn cheque. From the moment she had met Paul, there had been something about him that pulled her to him. The second she had heard his soft, deep voice, the hairs had stood up on the back of her neck. And when he had smiled at her, her knees had gone weak and there had been a strange sensation in her chest.

"Hey."

As if on cue, her chest fluttered madly and Stephanie dropped her hands stunned by the familiar low tone. She slowly raised her head, her mouth falling open in surprise as she saw him standing there in front of her. She swore he was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen in her life.

"Paul?" she breathed, her eyes blinking in disbelief. "Where...what are you doing here?"

His handsome face gave nothing away as he stood there, his big hands stuffed inside his trouser pockets. Even his eyes were a mystery to her as they narrowly avoided her surprised gaze.

"Honestly? I have no idea."

Stephanie tried not to feel the little flicker of hope as she slowly got to her feet, somehow finding it in herself to stand and face him without her legs giving way beneath her. They were actually trembling. God, she couldn't believe Paul was here. But why was he here? She couldn't let herself believe that just maybe he had come for her.

"So, are you really planning on taking off like this?" he asked, his brown eyes eventually drifting over her and she swallowed thickly as she lifted her shoulder in a shrug.

"Well I don't exactly have an option now, do I?"

Paul's gaze regarded her for a brief second before he tilted his head to the floor. Stephanie sighed sadly wishing he would just look at her, like really look at her so she had an idea of what he was thinking. She couldn't help but hope that the fact Paul was here really meant something. After all, he had no other reason to be here other than the fact he came looking for her. But why he had come looking for her?

Licking her lips, Stephanie felt her heart race as she hardly dared to trust the voice in her head telling her that this might not be over. That there was the tiny chance they could work this whole thing out.

"You know I had it all figured out." she admitted softly as she clasped her hands together in front of her and watched Paul's head lift ever so slowly.

"What?"

Stephanie bit down on her lip, the wrinkles creasing in her forehead as she glanced at her shoes. "What I would say to you if I got lucky enough to ever find you again."

There was a beat and her words seemed to hang in the air of the silent bus station as she pressed her lips together, trying hard to compose herself. The tears were burning the back of her throat. She had to try and not completely fall apart right now. She needed a chance to explain everything and pray Paul was prepared to listen this time. And the fact that he was here right now told her there was every chance that he just might.

Feeling encouraged by that, Stephanie slowly lifted her head. Paul's brown eyes were watching her intently and she swallowed thickly under the weight of his piercing stare.

"Well you've found me." he told her matter-of-factly

"Yeah I have." she replied, the corner of her mouth lifting in a hesitant smile as she exhaled calmly. She swore she was trembling all over, her nerves completely shot. "I can't believe you actually came here to look for me."

"Yeah well, I'm not sure why I did exactly."

But as her big blue eyes stared back at him, Paul knew that was a lie. Standing here in front of her, he knew why he had come. He couldn't let Stephanie go. Not just yet. Not without at least hearing what she had to say. He figured he owed her that much. He had been completely wrong just walking away from her and making the assumption she was capable of lies and blatant dishonesty just like Andrea had been. And deep down, maybe he was hoping she would say something, anything that would help him find that leap of faith to believe her and trust in her and what they had. God knows he wanted to especially reading that note she had left.

"_I never expected to come here and discover the possibility of you."_

He hadn't expected it either and part of him was scared to just let that possibility go knowing it might never exist for him again. He couldn't shake the feeling that if he let Stephanie in, this might turn out to be something great; something really great.

"I'm so sorry, Paul. This whole thing is entirely my fault and there's no excuse for not telling you there was someone else."

Stephanie's voice wavered with emotion and she sniffed as she pushed back a few loose strands that had escaped from her messy ponytail.

"I guess I just got swept away by you and what I felt for you. I forgot this whole other world existed. A world where I wasn't actually your girlfriend and a world where I didn't get to wake up and fall asleep in your arms because that's where I want to be, you know. Waking up and falling asleep every single day with you."

Her ocean blue pools were shining, brimming with her unshed tears as she pressed her lips together struggling to control her emotions as she glanced around the empty terminal, not able to look at Paul or see the cold indifference she dreaded he might feel despite her heart felt words.

"I know I'll never be able to forgive myself for hurting you or for totally ruining any chance we had of making this work." she said regretfully.

Stephanie was completely unaware that Paul's facial expression had shifted, softening under the dim lights of the terminal.

"And what makes you so sure you've ruined this?"

Her wet eyes shot back in his direction, not quite daring to believe what he might be telling her. The blood was beating in her ears as she stood there watching him waiting for him to continue.

"Look, I don't know what's happening here or if we really do have a shot together." sighed Paul as his big hand lifted to nervously rake through his blonde hair. "I just know I can't throw it all away like this, whatever it is that's happening between us."

Stephanie's lips curved up in a slow, watery smile unaware that just that simple action wrecked him inside.

"Well you know this really amazing guy once told me that there's no rush to figure anything out. We can take the time to just be us."

Paul nodded absently as he stared gently back at her. She saw a myriad of emotions swimming in his deep brown pools mirroring the internal battle that raged on inside him. She knew this wasn't easy for him. Despite his grand gesture in coming here, Paul was still confused and scared about this. She could almost sense his hesitancy to trust her words in his desperation to protect himself. It appeared Andrea had really pulled a number on him but it was up to her to try and convince him to at least give her a shot and let her prove to him she was nothing like that spiteful bitch.

"It's over with Ethan, Paul. I swear that to you."

Stephanie reached out tentatively for his hand. He didn't flinch away and she let her fingers gently curl around the tips of long digits.

"You can trust me. I'm not Andrea. I'm not going to hurt you. I never could."

She paused feeling her composure shake as she looked up at him, a tear finally slipping from her lashes to fall down her cheek.

"Not when I'm this crazy about you." she whispered, her lips twitching with her shy admission.

Paul swore his heart melted as her big wide eyes stared back at him. There was no doubting the sincerity they held and slowly he felt his earlier hesitation slip away as he realised he believed her. More importantly than that, he trusted that her words were the absolute truth. Stephanie wasn't Andrea. She never would be and he had been an idiot for even thinking she would try to deceive him. And okay, she hadn't been honest about already being in a relationship but this had all happened so quickly and unexpectedly. They had barely had time to catch their breath never mind anything else. After all, this was supposed to be just business. Falling for one another hadn't been part of the bargain so did he really have the right to be upset that she had kept her personal life from him? And she had been planning to tell him everything tonight. At least that's what Lynn had told him. She had also told him things were over between Stephanie and that other guy. Stephanie had seemed pretty sure about that too and he really had no reason to doubt her other than his need to protect himself. And his anger had probably been nothing but a convenient bluff anyway. The truth was he was scared to death about this. If Stephanie hurt him, he knew it would totally end him.

But Paul's silent contemplation was cut short as he heard the delighted voice behind him.

"Stephanie, you're here! Thank God!"

He rolled his eyes and his fingers slipped from Stephanie's as he turned to scowl at his sister. "I thought I told you to stay in the car."

"Yeah well I was freezing my butt off not to mention I need the bathroom." Lynn's heavy brown eyes narrowed in disapproval in her brother's direction. "I'm pregnant, Paul. You try holding it in while your baby squeezes down your bladder."

His nose crinkled with his grimace. "Okay. Well, that was a little more information than I was looking for."

Lynn chuckled at his obvious discomfort. "What? You can't handle a little bladder pressure? God help the woman you have children with."

Suddenly her forehead crinkled as she hopped from foot to foot.

"Shit! This is getting serious. Where are the bathrooms in this place?"

Paul rolled his eyes as Stephanie gestured just ahead of them.

"There's a sign just down there to your right."

"Then wait here. I'll be back in a second."

His face flickered with amusement as he watched Lynn rush across in that direction.

"Sorry about that." he smiled as he turned back to Stephanie.

"Hey, when you've got to go, you've got to go, right?" she chuckled albeit a little nervously.

"Apparently so."

Stephanie lifted her hand behind her head, adjusting her ponytail. As her arm fell to her side, her expression had turned serious as she wrapped her arms almost protectively around herself.

"Anyway I just want to say thank you."

Paul's brow furrowed with his confusion. "What for?"

"For giving me the chance to explain things to you." she said. "I know I would have regretted leaving when I really felt like there was a lot left unsaid between us."

He nodded. "Me too."

"Not I expect it to change anything. I mean, how could it? I still hurt you and I still withheld the truth about….."

Stephanie's words were quickly silenced by Paul's lips as he wrapped his arms tight around her, sweeping her up in a passionate kiss. Her heart began to pound madly as she kissed him back, her fingers tangling his hair and pressing him even closer. She couldn't get him close enough as his tongue delved into the heat of her mouth, brushing temptingly against hers. Her whole body was tingling and her head felt like it was spinning with his embrace.

When they eventually broke apart, she could barely catch her breath as Paul's hand lifted to push back her messy strands. His brown eyes entranced her, making her feel a little dizzy.

"For what it's worth, I'm crazy about you too." he admitted softly.

Stephanie couldn't contain her happiness as she felt her whole face erupt with her elated grin.

"So maybe when we get home we can still have that dinner and see where it takes us?" he asked her almost shyly.

Her grin faded to a soft smile as she slowly nodded her head.

"So I take it you two have made up then."

Paul groaned at Lynn's interruption but Stephanie could see the affectionate twinkle in his eyes as he turned to look at her.

"Like you weren't eavesdropping on every single word from over there?"

"Not every single word." she smiled. "You know I can't wait to see bitch face's face when you two walk hand in hand into that church tomorrow."

Lynn saw Stephanie's tentative expression and her brow furrowed curiously in her direction.

"You are still coming aren't you?" she asked.

Stephanie quickly glanced at Paul unsurely. But she didn't have to wait long for his response as he winked at her making her heart flip in her chest. Her blue eyes sparkled with delight as they turned to settle on Lynn.

"Trust me. I wouldn't miss it for the world." she grinned.


End file.
